


Half-Life

by AikiBriarRose



Series: The Axis of Time [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Iron Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Alien Cultural Differences, Alien Culture, Alien Technology, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Canon Divergence - Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Dimension Travel, F/F, F/M, Gen, Infinity Gems, M/M, Morbius the Living Vampire - Freeform, Multi, Multi-Dimensional Travel, Non Canonical Immortal, Original Character(s), Romance, Super Soldier Serum, Thunderbolt Ross - Freeform, True Love, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, winter soldier - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-08
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2018-10-16 06:35:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 74,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10565673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AikiBriarRose/pseuds/AikiBriarRose
Summary: Dimension 20001MCU Timeline: Begins between Thor: Ragnarok and Black PantherTony Stark and the Avengers meet a new adventurer from another dimension - Malaki. She is a Catalyst, a draw for strange and unusual happenings that cause things around her to change, whether they want to or not. Tony finds himself falling in love with her, a being that is nearly indestructible, someone that can't be destroyed by his enemies and has the ability to fight back just as hard as he can. The Avengers are drawn into the conflict along with Tony, finding themselves meeting people from her alternate universe and fighting alongside other powerful beings against her enemies.Then Tony and Malaki are thrown into the Axis of Time and everything changes. A new life is lived, over and over. Will they be able to find themselves again and get back to their true worlds?





	1. Prologue - Malaki's back story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Malaki Tsiganikki O'Rourke Tybournne of the House of Tybournne - a brief history of her story.

Born on the planet Rhigella to Lord Tyrol Tybournne and Lady Greya Valhalla O'Rourke as their only daughter and twin sister to Erik [Ben Drago] she is the Catalyst, the Wildcard, the Bringer of Chaos and Change. She has abilities known as Elemental Kinetics and is immortal. Not that she doesn’t die, but that she is always reborn. 

In her recent history, she has found out that she and her brother were originally born as one being, to the Mother of their race, the Toblern Dragano, she who is known as Tearosa. Their mother was the one who was genetically manipulated to constantly bear children with the genetic traits for their race, thus they are always renewing the blood of their kindred with new members. As this One Being, she/he fought against the invasion of their brother race, the Laoth’mo’san. This race was genetically manipulated to be fighters and conquerors by the father of the being that created the Toblern Dragano. 

It was during the last battle against the Laoth’mo’san, before the two races were permanently divided, before the Dimensions were overlapped during the Horizon Crisis, that she/he faced down a horde of Laoth’mo’san warriors on the planet Rhigella, a millennia before her birth there as a twin, and created the Blasted Zone, known as the Desert of Crystal now, with the energy that she/he channeled to destroy the opposing forces. 

After that, it was decided that the two races would be split apart and reside in separate galaxies. This was accepted, but it was also determined that the One Being was too powerful to remain in that state and so was also divided, then placed in the womb of Greya Valhalla O'rourke to be born again as two children, splitting the power between them. These two children were then separated at birth, with Erik [Ben Drago] being taken away by the wizard Lazod Stryke Bantar to an unknown location. This happened after the Horizon Crisis and the overlapping of the Dimensions/Galaxies to create the Pentagonal Meta-Galaxy occurred. 

With the Pentagonal Meta-Galaxy came the reuniting of the ancient foes, the Toblern Dragano and the Laoth’mo’san, and a reigniting of their wars and conflicts. The Laoth’mo’sans had developed a way to transport their ships via “Gating” in order to jump over long distances without having to worry about using FTL. They began using this on the planets of the Toblern Dragano, shifting them across the dimensional rifts into alternate galaxies and causing chaos among their enemy. Finally, other beings had enough of this chaos and stepped in, causing them to halt their disruptive shifting of planets and controlling the Gates that were left to enable all five of the galactic dimensions the freedom to traverse between them. 

The Night of Chaos was the event of the last planet being Gated before the end of this Crisis. This planet was Aprillyn, gated to close proximity with Rhigella. The Toblern Dragano population fled the destruction this caused to their planet and headed to Rhigella, only to be met by the population of humans and Rhiegellians there with force. Unable to land anywhere but the Blasted Zone, the Toblerns lost nearly 90% of their population and all means of supporting themselves as they were used to. Instead, they became scavengers of their dead planet, now orbiting Rhigella in the outer reaches of the Kyrellyian Empire in the 3rd Galactic Dimension of the PMG. 

Malaki grew up in the Desert of Crystal, desperately trying to be like her siblings and counterparts but unable to perform the same magics as them, not fitting into their system of hierarchy and scavenging, generally causing trouble of all sorts until she escaped and started living amongst the humans and Rhiegellians on the other continents of the planet. After many adventures, she discovered that she had the ability to create personal gates of her own that would allow her to travel to other planets, much like the Laoth’mo’sans had used with their ships. She helped her planet and people get in contact again with others of their race and from there they were able to begin the daunting task of reuniting the whole of their race and begin rebuilding their civilization. 

After years of traveling amongst the stars, Malaki decided to take a look at what lay in the middle area where all the Galactic Dimensions came together, prompted by her encounters with the being who had started her race, Cordigx. He told her of her twin brother and how they had once been One Being with power so great it terrified those who ruled the civilized regions. She formed a gate after months of meditation and focus and allowed it to home in on where she thought he might be, the center of the PMG.

She reached this location, known to its inhabitants as the Valley of the Four Winds, or Valle Quattuor Venti, and discovered through more adventures that her brother, Erik Ben Drago, was the de facto Ruler of the Valley. Along with this, she also learned that the Gods of Horizon were actual beings, not just myths as she had heard about all her life. They were the original scientists and astronauts from the space station Horizon that had been ground zero for the Horizon Crisis, the event that created the PMG. Most of them now resided at the top of the Mountains of Horizon, a series of high cliffs at the far edge of the Valley.

The Valley turned out to be a system of valleys and oceans arranged in a Moebius loop connecting at two points to the Axis of Time. This artifact appears as a tremendously long, black pole rotating at high speed and can give access to any point in the timelines of any of the Galactic Dimensions in the PMG. Because of her gating ability, Malaki is one of the few beings that can navigate the Axis with impunity.

During all of her adventures, Malaki has always felt that there has been manipulations of her adventures and of other events in her life. Meeting Erik and comparing notes only confirmed this as he has felt the same way. Cordigx and Rhiork, an outcast Geneticist of the Savannish race, agrees and helps them travel to the T’Khallian Empire located in the 4th GD, following clues. When the leads seemingly vanish, they return to Earth 4, an alternate to the Earth that is home to the Guardians (Earth 3). This was where the leads had originated from. 

At one point in her life, Malaki had been exposed to a form of vampirism when dealing with the D’Qr Toblerns, one of the many sub-groups that her race had split into after the Gate Wars. Earth 4 was where this strain had originated. The one who had manipulated her to be exposed turned out to be none other than Jan-Noir, last known member of the race of Sylvans, or Elves as they were called on Earth(s) throughout the Dimensions. He had caused her to be exposed so that she could pass it on to him, giving him the ability, in theory, to be able to face down the Ruler of the PMG, a mysterious being that traveled in a large caravan of giant CityShips around the PMG, controlling and manipulating the races to his own ends. In reality, the introduction of the vampiric strain of magic into his bloodstream caused Jan-Noir extreme agony, due to the high volume of iron in Malaki’s blood. Jan-Noir, as all Elves are, was allergic to iron. 

Returning to Earth 4, Malaki was captured by Calixtra and her group of extraterrestrial terrorists and tortured to make her reveal the location of the entrance to the Axis of Time. At least, that’s what she thought she was being tortured for. The main person doing the torture then takes her back to the T’Khallian Empire, where she finds out that he is the King. She escapes and causes a revolution, calling Erik to come help her. Shit hits the fan, as it is wont to do with Malaki around, and she finds herself coming face to face, via sublight transmission, with the Ruler of the PMG. He then proceeds to reveal to her that she and Erik are his designs, weapons created to be used to destroy his enemies and be controlled by him. 

This does not sit well with either Malaki or Erik and they use their considerable pull and connections to call together all who wish to fight against the Ruler. This includes the Laoth’mo’san race, which Erik has conquered and become the Rightful Lord over. The many sub-races of the Toblern Dragano, as well as many of the Human sub-races, join together to face this ultimate threat to the freedom of the PMG. The largest fleet of ships in the history of the PMG gather and travel to the 1st GD where the Ruler’s fleet of CityShips is currently located. 

Upon reaching the CityShips caravan, they receive a request for a council with the Ruler under a truce flag. Seeing no reason not to talk, Malaki and Erik, along with leaders of the other races, land on the closest planet and set up their camp, waiting for the Ruler to land and meet with them to hear what he has to say. Much to everyone’s surprise, he arrives, escorted by a phalanx of Sylvan (Elven) warriors, and is none other than the King of the T’Khallian Empire. Malaki and Erik attempt to attack him, only to find out that Malaki is bonded to him and cannot harm him. In fact, while being tortured, the bonding had taken place and was a blood-bond. This meant that not only could she not harm the Ruler, but felt compelled to protect him from harm, much to her chagrin. 

Jan-Noir is reunited with his people, whom he had thought were eradicated. The Council of Races declares that the CityShips become the home of the Sylvans and the Ruler abdicate his claim as such and return to his Empire, leaving the rest of the races of the PMG to rule themselves. Faced with the might of the races, he concedes the victory and returns to his sector of space. Malaki and Erik part ways again, with Erik returning to the Valley and Malaki taking up residence on Earth 3, with the Guardians there.

The Guardians are a group of superpowered humans genetically influenced by the T’Khallian Empire, though indirectly and secretly, that reside on and around Earth 3. They have developed a relatively cohesive world government and branched out into the surrounding systems, protected by their StarGuard branch of superpowered beings and the help of the Toblern Dragano. They have begun trading and traveling with the other Human sub-races of the PMG, except the T’Khallians in their own GD and the Confederated Kinship, located in the 1st GD. 

Malaki’s decision to retire on Earth 3 is no real surprise, as she has many close friends here as well as several of her children who like to play superhero while they are still young. Young is a relative term, as she is just over 5000 years of age, having lived in several dimensions and time works at different rates in each of them. 

Her favorite pastime is exploring different dimensions of Earth, as it is one of the main nexus points on the PMG timeline, thus giving it multiple dimensions and realities, all of them slightly different or wildly different from each other. When she feels the need to get out of her shell and mingle, she tends to go hang out at her bar, which is more of a resort and luxury hotel for the wilder side of civilization, the Smuggler's Blues, located on the 4th moon of T'Qyvius, a gas giant in the D'Qr system, 2nd Galactic Dimensional Sector of the PMG.


	2. First Half - Opening Gambit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony gets called to investigate a strange occurrence along the eastern coast of the US and finds more evidence that Earth is not alone in the Universe.

It started with the anomaly showing up on the coast of Virginia, blocking traffic along US Highway 64 from Richmond to Virginia Beach. Not until later did Tony realize what kind of a turning point in his life it represented. At the moment, he and Rhodey were analyzing the data and trying to determine what level to assign it for its potential danger to the general public. The thing appeared to be a large, flat disk of energy, floating perpendicular in the middle of the highway, blocking most of the lanes of traffic, but without putting off any heat or large amounts of light. 

“Any change in the energy signatures?” Tony asked, setting down the two large coffees he’d just fetched. 

“Nothing yet. I’d have told you if there was.” James Rhodes, known for his cool head as War Machine, was feeling the frustration of 12 hours straight monitoring the anomaly, stuck at the desk instead of being able to charge out there and see it for himself. He hadn’t meant to snap at Tony, but it just came out like that, short and sharp. He grimaced and ran his hand over his face, then grabbed one of the coffees and drank down several swallows. The heated caffeine burst into his system like a recharged battery jolt, setting his senses alight once again. 

Tony Stark, brilliant inventor, scientist and billionaire philanthropist, head of The Avengers and the man known as Iron Man, smiled at his friend and fellow Avenger. He knew why Rhodey was tense and he didn’t blame him a bit, or hold any short tempered remark against him. If he’d been able to, Rhodes would have been one of the first people out in the field to check out this latest weirdness. Instead, he was stuck at this desk, in that wheelchair, still recovering from his injuries. 

Tony felt the twinge of guilt hit him as it always did, made worse this time by the fact that he was able to leave and go do what Rhodes couldn’t. He was the only one available at the moment, though, with the other remaining Avengers out on patrols and assignments, so it wasn’t like he was taking it out of turn. He slurped his own super strong coffee, then stood back up, stretching his back and legs, working the kinks out from sitting so long. 

James looked up at him. “You’re gonna leave me here, aren’t you?” He grinned at Tony to take the sting out of the words, but the bitterness was still a sullen shadow in his tone. 

Tony gave him a squeeze on the shoulder. “Yep. Gonna go take an up-close and personal look at this thing, see if I can’t find something new on it. Like if it’s going to get bigger or just go away or what.” He gestured and his Iron Man suit walked over from the corner where it had been on standby to open up and wait patiently for Tony to step into it. Giving Rhodey a friendly pat on the back, he stepped into his armor and as it closed up around him, grinned and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll let you watch my live feeds so you can catch anything I miss.”

Triggering his 360 camera, Tony caught Rhodes sticking his tongue out at his back and mentally shook his head. He would have done the same. Once out of the building, he took off in a beeline for the Virginia coast, leaving it to Rhodes to let HQ know where he was headed. It didn’t take as long as he expected to reach his destination, his thoughts having wandered off to work on refining Rhodey’s exoskeletal frame to help him maneuver better and get back on his feet. 

Landing next to the National Guard commander, he turned and scanned the crowd, searching for anything unusual. Everyone looked human, looked normal, relatively speaking for a crowd of city dwellers headed down to the beach on a sunny Memorial Day weekend. They had gathered up as close as the restraints set up by the National Guard would let them, leaving their cars parked on the road to get a closer look at the anomaly, hoping for a glimpse of something strange and unusual so they could brag about it to their friends and neighbors back home. 

He turned and scanned the anomaly, noting how it appeared to reach all the way across the road, even though the opening’s actual circumference was narrow, just wide enough for a person to step through unimpeded. Walking around it, he also noted that it was not 3 dimensional when viewed from the side. In fact, if he hadn’t known what to look for in alternate spectrums, he wouldn’t have seen it at all. It was fortunate for the cars traveling on the road that it was perpendicular to the road instead of parallel, as that would have really caused problems. Most likely from slicing a car in half, along with any passengers. 

Testing this theory, he reached out and slid a fingertip along the invisible edge of the anomaly. 

“Suit integrity has been compromised.” The sound of his suit’s AI in his ear confirmed his theory and he stopped pushing, wondering how close it was to his fingertip and if he would have felt it if it had penetrated. 

Tony finished his walk around the perimeter of the blocked space, noting how the readings on the energy coming from the anomaly fluctuated on the backside down to almost nothing but immediately increased the moment he crossed over to its front. He stopped by the commander, noting that the guy seemed quite cool and collected, considering the oddness happening here.

“Any sign of life or other unusual occurrences?” Tony asked, scanning the crowd again. His nerves were tingling, telling him that something had to have come through this, or gone into it. 

“No life signs of any kind, sir,” the commander replied, his eyes scanning his men constantly. “There was some flashes earlier, three of them, about 15 minutes apart, but that’s been 3 hours ago and no other signs of activity.”

Tony nodded. He and Rhodes had noticed these as energy spikes during their monitoring. The spikes had effectively blocked readings on the area, keeping them from telling if any life forms had exited the anomaly, or entered it. “Did anyone see anything come out of the anomaly, Commander? Or go into it? When it flashed, I mean.”

The commander shook his head. “No one reported anything, sir.” 

“Can you ask them, individually, if they saw or think they saw anything?” Tony was getting impatient now. The answer was here, he could feel it. Someone had to have seen something, even if they didn’t realize it or didn’t want to admit it. 

The commander nodded and started walking the perimeter, speaking softly to each of his men in turn as he reached them. Tony waited, waving to the crowd and signing autographs as he did. He was also scanning the people there, searching for anything strange, out of place. Most of them were looking more at the anomaly than him, except those who were asking him to pose for pictures as well as sign stuff for their collections. 

The commander came over and stood next to him, surveying the crowd for a moment before commenting, “Turns out a couple of guys saw a shadow pass over them when the third flash came but didn’t report it. One of them says it seemed to be a cloud or something, but he blinked. The other said it had a smell that made him think of fresh laundry.” He shrugged, looking perplexed. 

Tony nodded, the suit making it look more exaggerated. “Thanks, Commander. Stay on alert, but you might want to expand the perimeter of the search. Whoever or whatever came through could have gotten quite far in 3 hours.” He scanned the crowd again as the commander walked away, giving orders for more men and an expanded search. Turning back to the anomaly, he didn’t directly see who spoke but a voice came from the crowd, soft and clear. 

“I think it’s getting smaller, don’t you? We should be able to get through now.” Several other voices rose in discussion, competing with their opinions and asking when they could continue their trip, causing a general rise in agitation of the crowd as they surged toward the commander, demanding that he let them pass and continue on their way.

Tony turned back but couldn’t see anyone that might have voiced the comment. He pushed through the crowd, noticing that several of them were now heading back to their cars in anticipation of being let through. Other cars were following the lead of the state trooper that was directing traffic through the median to turn around and head back to Richmond. 

He addressed his current AI with a low murmur that didn’t get out of the suit. “Alice, scan the cars and target those that aren’t running hot. I want to know which ones just started up and are heading back to the city.” He got clear of the crowd and triggered the repulsors, taking flight to get above the crowd and waited for the results of the scan. In less than 10 seconds, he had 7 targets headed back down the road, along with 23 others that had been running their engines and just now decided to retreat. “Follow those 7 cars and let me know their destinations. Track the licenses if necessary. I want all the information available on the occupants.” His AI’s affirmative was barely heard as he watched the cars drive down the freeway. 

“Play back the 360 recording of the crowd from the last 10 minutes, Alice.” Tony had a feeling that the one who had instigated the crowd’s rush was quite possibly connected somehow to the anomaly. Why else cause such a rush, if not to cover their leaving the area? He watched the playback twice before catching sight of the woman that stood out. She was watching him the whole time, he noticed, yet didn’t approach for an autograph or picture. Instead, she waited until he turned away from her part of the crowd to speak, just loud enough for her voice to carry.

“Separate and analyze that phrase, including cross-reference of speech for pattern recognition and give me the approximate area of origin for that person,” Tony ordered his computer. The numbers streamed by his left eye, tracking the speech pattern and not finding any match in the database. Tony wasn’t surprised. He examined the picture of her captured from the video while he tracked the vehicles below him on the freeway, rising up high enough not to be spotted by casual observers. 

A thought came to him as he was shifting his attention back to the pictures and he contacted Rhodey back at base. “Is the anomaly the same size as it was earlier or is it shrinking?”

Rhodes came back almost immediately. “It is shrinking now. I was about to contact you and let you know. What made you ask?” 

Intrigued now, Tony gave a soft grunt and sent the pictures to Rhodes. “Check the database for any hits on the identity of this person. She was at the scene just before the crowd began getting rowdy. I think she caused it to hide her exit from the area.”

“Do you think she came through, then?” Rhodes sounded wary and tired.

“Yes. You should put the monitoring software on automatic now and get some rest.” Tony tried not to sound bossy but it came out like that anyway. Force of habit, he supposed. 

“You got a bead on her now?” Rhodes replied.

“Yeah, mostly. Tracking the cars that left the area at the same time she disappeared. I’ll find her and bring her in so we can figure out what she wants.” Tony made it sound so easy, like a deal guaranteed to close. 

Rhodes knew, as he did, it wasn’t always that easy. “Be careful, Tony. We don’t know what we’re going up against. Call for backup if you need to.” Before Tony could make a smart-aleck comeback, Rhodes finished his comment. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Who, me?” Tony chuckled. “This is me you’re talking about. I never do anything stupid.” 

Rhodey’s laugh sounded good in Tony’s ear. “Stupid, no, I’ll give you that. Spontaneous, yes. Not planned out, yes. Hare-brained and rash, definitely. Be careful. I mean it. Rhodes out.” 

Tony laughed and went back to studying the pictures. She appeared human enough, just above average height, high cheekbones, long hair pulled up into a high ponytail and cascading in curls of mahogany brown and honey gold down her back. Her eyes were hidden behind darkened lenses but her mouth was smiling. Wide, with thinner lips than was considered fashionable, teeth white between them. This just before she spoke. 

He wondered if she was laughing at what she was about to do and found himself smiling, then quickly snaps a scowl into place, reminding himself to stay serious. This could be a dangerous alien sent as an advanced scout through the anomaly to report back on defense capabilities of Earth. No matter how much she appeared to be human. Look at Thor, he reminded himself. That was a good example of looking human and not being human at all. 

Upon reaching the greater Richmond area, Tony hovered over the city, still tracking the cars that he’d targeted earlier. Most of them headed out to the suburbs, with only 2 of them heading into the city. One of them, a Lexus, parked in a public lot and the two people in the car got out and went into a nearby restaurant. The last one, a white Lincoln Continental, drove around the downtown area for a while, not really stopping anywhere, before finally pulling into a public garage and parking.

The concrete and steel of the structure made it hard to scan into the center, along with the heat signatures of the cars blocking the view in infrared. Tony did the next best thing. He watched the exits from the garage from high above, waiting for the appearance of the driver. She emerged shortly afterwards and headed down the street, a backpack slung from one shoulder, her hair bouncing as she walked.

Tony watched her enter an Italian restaurant and waited to see if she was going to stay or was just ducking out of sight. When she didn’t exit after several minutes, he took the chance and landed on the top of the garage, then headed down to check the car she’d left there. There he found an older guy just waking up from an unconscious state. Notifying the EMTs and the local police, he reported it as an attempted carjacking and gave them the location, then left to go back to the restaurant. 

He landed and stepped out of the Iron Man suit, leaving it on standby, and placed the remote control band on his head. Rhodey couldn’t accuse him of not having backup that way. His stomach churned a bit at the thought of confronting this unknown being without anyone else on his team being there, but he clamped it down quick, telling himself he didn’t have time to wait for someone else to arrive. He didn’t want to lose track of her while waiting, either. Activating the remote, he stepped into the restaurant’s darkened entrance, his sunglasses automatically adjusting to the dim light so he wouldn’t be blind and vulnerable.

 

Malaki had traveled many planets and many dimensions of Earth and the one constant that she was happiest to find was the universally popular dish known on Earth as spaghetti and meatballs. Steak and seafood was a close second, but only on Earth. Other planets didn’t have the same outlook on combining the two and she always got dirty looks from the chef or the server anywhere else but here when she ordered it that way. She wondered if it was part and parcel with Earth being a nexus point. Not that she really cared to find out, and hopefully she would never find an Earth that didn’t serve it, as it was her two favorite dishes and the best way to recharge after expending her energy supply on Gating.

It had been a close call, getting off that highway earlier. First the state troopers had shown up, then the National Guard, then the guy in the power suit. She knew when he showed up, it was time to beat a retreat, before he finished his scan and started going through the crowd. Making the crowd stampede the weekend soldiers was easy enough, as was finding a car with only a driver and knocking him out so she could drive to a city and get lost. Her hunger made it urgent, or she would have passed out and that wouldn’t have been a good way to begin her exploration of this dimension. 

She was well into her spaghetti and salad and waiting on her steak and mixed seafood grill when he walked through the door and scanned the place. It was done very casually, so casual no one would have noticed unless they were also paranoid and combat ready. Malaki would have bet he knew the exits, the placements of the tables and had evaluated every person in there for threat potential before heading over to her table. 

The headset he was wearing was definitely higher tech than anything else she’d seen so far around here, sending her nerves into high alert. She lowered her left hand down below the edge of the table, resting it on the booth seat. Keeping the fork in her right hand, she waved at the seat across from her. “Go ahead, have a seat.”

He gave her a once-over, his dark brown eyes piercing her with their stare, shining with intelligence, before sliding into the seat across from her. She could smell him now, expensive cologne mixing with the smell of hot wiring and metal. It reminded her of mecha-warriors she’d known, how they’d smell after being enclosed in their machines while on duty. Her heartbeat sped up and she took a couple of deep breaths, feeling herself tingle at the stimulation. When he didn’t say anything, she decided to break the ice.

“So what gave me away? I thought I blended in quite well.” She gave him a grin, then took a bite of salad. He started to answer and was interrupted by the arrival of the rest of her food. The server seemed surprised and speechless to find her guest sitting there. Obviously, he was well-known, something she’d seen back at the landing site, and the server had a hard time restraining himself over meeting someone he idolized. After satisfying the server that he didn’t need anything and signing a napkin and taking a picture with him, they were finally alone again. 

Malaki hadn’t let it stop her from eating, feeling her hunger like a pit in her gut now. The steak was hot and juicy and the variety of seafood on her platter made her feel happy, despite the handsome super sitting across from her. She grinned at him again, and let out a chuckle when he responded with a frown. 

“Your speech pattern is off. I’ve never heard your type of accent before.” He waved his right hand up toward his headset, giving her a slight grin. “Neither has my computer.” 

Malaki laughed and popped a large shrimp from the skewer into her mouth, closing her eyes at the enjoyment of the juices and taste flooding her mouth. With her left hand, she tapped the device at her waist, triggering it to scan and jam radio and telephony frequency around her to block his headset and prevent him from contacting anyone for backup. As a bonus, it also blocked internet signals, and as she wasn’t sure how advanced the technology was in general for this dimension and time, she amped it up to include satellite coverage as well. 

She opened her eyes to find him watching her. “I guess I shouldn’t have said anything, then, neh?” 

He gave her another one of those tight little grins. “Nope.” Looking around, he unobtrusively checked his phone, then tapped his earpiece. “You seem very relaxed for someone who has just jumped out of a strange anomaly, stolen a car with the owner in it, and is now enjoying a meal, probably with the stolen money from the driver’s wallet.”

She raised her glass to him in a mock toast. “Half-right. I didn’t steal any money. I don’t see why I should be worried. It’s not illegal to dimension-hop here. Is it?” Her eyebrows came together in a slight frown. 

“You can’t just open a wormhole wherever you want and invade…” he started off, raising a finger to point at her.

“Not a wormhole, Gods above, no!” Malaki interrupted him, having to establish that fact from the get-go. “And not invading.”

“Then what do you call it?” He tapped his phone again, then his earpiece, then took the headset off and checked it thoroughly. “You came into the country without letting anyone know you were coming, blocked traffic on a major freeway, stole a car…”

“I borrowed the car. The guy might have a bit of a headache when he wakes up, but I didn’t do anything more than use up some of his gas.” Malaki grinned again and popped another shrimp in her mouth, then began cutting pieces off her steak. Swallowing the mouthful, she motioned at his headset in his hands. “What are you gonna do about it? Call someone to come pick me up for questioning?”

He tossed the headset down and picked up his phone. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I am.” He waited a moment, then looked at his phone and tapped it again, turning it over in his hands to examine the back of the case, then looking at the screen again. 

She could see it lit up with numerous apps and icons, so she knew it was working, but he hadn’t seemed to figure out that his signal was being jammed just yet. “Maybe you don’t have coverage here. Have you checked your service date? Made sure you have enough minutes?” she giggled as she asked the last question, unable to resist needling him. The look of exasperation he gave her was definitely worth it. Waving the server over, Malaki hide her grin behind a napkin and asked him for a to-go box. 

When she looked back at the handsome, yet frustrated man sitting across from her, she decided she wanted to get to know him better, though not here and now. “My name is Malaki, by the way.” 

He looked at the hand she held out to him like it was covered in something slimy. “Tony Stark. What did you do to my phone?” 

Her grin only made him frown more. She decided it was definitely one of his better looks. Serious, intense, intelligent...most assuredly someone to get to know better, she thought. “Nothing permanent.” 

She took the to-go box from the server and dumped all her remaining food in it, then stood to leave. On a whim, she ripped a piece of paper from the top of the bill and handed it to him with the pen. “Give me your number and I’ll give you a call when I get my own phone.” 

Again he looked at her like she was handing him a worm. Shrugging, she set it down on the table and picked up her food box. As she stepped past him, he grabbed her wrist.

“You’re not just going to walk out of here that easy. Besides, you haven’t paid yet.”

Malaki glanced down at his hand on her wrist. His grip was strong and firm, yet he wasn’t squeezing tight enough to hurt her. “I’ll let you get that for me, as a diplomatic show of friendship. As for walking out of here, I claim diplomatic immunity for everything. That is a thing here, isn’t it?”

His exasperated sigh as he released her wrist was music to her ears. “Wait,” he said and she heard him pick up the pen and write on something. The napkin he stuck in her hand made her grin and look over as he rose to stand next to her. “Let me walk you out.” he said, placing his hand on her elbow. 

The thrill of him touching her skin there sent tingles up her spine as she moved toward the door. He didn’t let go as he opened the door for her, ushering her through and letting it close behind him. Out on the sidewalk, he tugged on her arm, turning her toward him. 

“Don’t think this is over, Malaki.” He seemed to be tasting her name when he said it. 

“Not by a long shot, Tony Stark,” Malaki replied, letting another grin slide across her mouth. She definitely like how he said her name. She went to turn away and found herself held in place. A raised eyebrow made him give up another of those little grins. 

“Just a minute, before you leave,” he said as a cab pulled up to see if she needed a ride. Malaki waited, the tension building inside of her as she wondered what he wanted. Slowly he pulled her sunglasses from her face, his eyes locked on hers.

“Ah, green,” he murmured, almost to himself. He kept the sunglasses in his hand as he turned her loose.

Malaki blinked a couple of times. The sun here was never too bright but she always found herself overly sensitive to light after Gating, which was why she had started wearing sunglasses on her explorations. 

“Hey, lady, do you need a ride or what?” the cab driver shouted out his passenger window at her, grabbing her attention away from Tony’s gaze. Turning to the vehicle, she opened the door and climbed in. 

‘Where to?” came the driver’s short question. 

“A nice place to stay,” Malaki replied, her eyes again locked on the man still standing on the sidewalk, her sunglasses in his hand, watching her.

“You got it.” The cab jolted into the traffic stream, the driver cursing as he maneuvered his way onto the main street. Malaki waited until Tony Stark was lost from sight before looking at the napkin he’d stuck in her hand. On it he’d written two words and a phone number.

Iron Man 1-888-Avengers.


	3. The 3rd Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony manages to set up a meeting with Malaki, with Natasha tagging along for protection.

"A jamming signal? She used a jamming signal on your technology, Tony?” Rhodes repeated himself again. Tony had lost track of how many times and different ways he’d asked in the past three days, not interested in defending himself any more but in how he could keep it from happening again. Not for the first time either, he found himself regretting not giving her his personal number. Maybe she would have called, a small voice whispered in the back of his mind. He knew he wanted to see her again, though at the moment he was admitting nothing more than curiosity about her technology and point of origin. 

She’d mentioned dimension-hopping like it was no big deal. This had pointed him in the right direction and when he’d gotten back to the base, he’d gone over the data, able now to reinterpret it and see how the readings they’d gotten from the anomaly could be construed as a portal, though the energy source still eluded him. By his calculations, the amount of energy needed would require real nuclear fusion to power a hole a quarter of the size the one she’d stepped through. 

So for now, she was an enigma, a mystery and he’d let her go without a way to contact him. He was sure she’d never call the number. He wasn’t even sure it was a real number. Maybe she’d tried to call it, the voice said, now in a bit of a panic. He opened his email and sent off a quick request to the office, asking them to set it up as a real number and have it come to his phone directly. 

“A jamming signal?” 

Tony turned to face Rhodey, tossing down the headset he was working on, ready to go off on him, only to realize he hadn’t spoken this time. This time it was Natasha, fresh in from her most recent assignment. She was smirking at him as she taunted him some more. 

“Sorry, Tony. Didn’t mean to make you upset.” Her smirk grew into a full blown grin at this, her eyebrows raised at his display of temper.

Tony muttered profanities under his breath.

“What was that?” Natasha asked, sauntering over to stand next to him. “I didn’t quite catch that.”

From across the room, Vision turned to face them. “He said…” he began, then stopped as Wanda laid a hand on his arm and whispered something to him. “Ah, nevermind,” he ended sheepishly and turned back away. 

Natasha grinned and turned to Tony. “Are you man enough to repeat that to me?” she teased, her eyes sparkling with laughter. 

“I said, Rhodey’s been harassing me all day about that and now you?” Tony replied, straight-faced as he ran yet another diagnostic on the headset. When it came back with the same information as all the others, he tossed it down again, ran his hands through his hair and got up to pace.

“Hey, I had to ask,” Natasha replied defensively. “That’s all I heard from Fury on the flight here. You’d think you’d wrecked his car or something. I didn’t know James had been harassing you all day.” 

Her emphasis on “harassing” made Tony wince as he recalled how he’d grabbed Malaki’s wrist. He hadn’t thought it through before doing it, just instinctively reaching out, not wanting her to leave. Looking back, he was glad she hadn’t taken it the wrong way and done something like scream, or threaten to.

“How could you resist? I couldn’t,” Rhodes spoke up in his own defense. “It’s not everyday that Tony gets bamboozled by a female of the extra-dimensional persuasion.” His tone was sarcastic as he emphasized the ‘extra-dimensional’ label, like he didn’t quite believe it. 

“I can’t believe you let her go,” Natasha shook her head. “You could have invited her to come with you here, you know.” 

Tony looked down at his hands, a little embarrassed that he hadn’t thought of that himself. “I didn’t think she’d accept,” he admitted. 

“So he gave her a fake number and she said she’d call,” Rhodey shook his head. “Taken in by a pair of big blue eyes.”

“They were green,” Tony whispered. His email dinged as Natasha chuckled at Rhodey’s joke and he read it, then grinned and held up his phone. “It’s a real number now.”

Everyone groaned. “It better not be a public number or we’ll never get any rest from all the calls we’ll get,” Natasha grumbled.

“Not to worry,” Tony smirked as he replied, “it’s set to come directly to my phone only, so I’ll be the one screening any calls that come through.” 

“I don’t know, Tony,” Natasha sounded skeptical. “Seriously, if it gets out that we have a number…”

Her gripe was interrupted by his phone ringing. Tony glanced at the number, saw that it was a Virginia area code and answered it. “Hello, Iron Man speaking.”

“Well, I’m glad you decided to make it a working number. I was afraid I’d have to come hunt you down or something.” Her voice dripped through the phone like honey in hot tea, Tony thought. The sarcasm was expected, the Virginia southern drawl was not, though he found it intriguing. 

“It’s her!” he whispered loudly, his finger on the mute button. “Oh?” he replied, heading to his workbench and searching for the plug to connect his phone to the computer mainframe. “Maybe I should have just waited a little longer, then. Are you still in Richmond?” 

That breathy chuckle came through the phone and his stomach fluttered like he was on an express elevator and dropping fast. What the hell was wrong with him? 

“Oh, was that too direct? Or are you jamming my phone again?” He spoke rapidly, letting the words fall out of his mouth so he could keep her on the line, not really paying attention to what he was saying. He checked the computer screen and saw the signal was being bounced around the map like a basketball being handled by the Globetrotters. 

“You’re trying to track me aren’t you? That’s cute,” came her reply, then another chuckle. “How about you just meet me somewhere for a drink?”

“Meet you? Like how? Should I just fly out and hope to find you in Richmond? Or are you going to come to New York and knock on my door?” Tony hoped he didn’t sound as lame as he thought he did right now. It was probably worse, muttered the little voice in the back of his mind. 

“Well now,” she drawled, “you could drive your car and we could arrange to meet somewhere in the middle. Or you could show up in your fancy suit and we could play chase again. Your choice.”

“How about a little of each? I’ll fly, in my jet now, to where you are and we can go to dinner someplace nice. Diplomatic immunity.” Tony grinned and gave Nat and Rhodey a thumbs up. Rhodes rolled his eyes and Natasha looked pleased, nodding her head. 

She could fly the Gulfstream easily, giving Tony some backup and getting a close-up read on this woman that was getting him so quickly flustered. She’d heard his correction on the color of her eyes and found it intriguing that Tony had been so easily duped, or so it had seemed until now.

“Sounds good. I’ll hold you to your word, Tony,” the mystery woman said, her voice soft, yet adamant. “I’ll be at the Baltimore Airport in a couple of hours. Page me if I don't show up right away and I’ll find you.”

“Deal,” Tony said, then realized the phone was already disconnected. He looked up and found Natasha studying him. Giving her a quick grin, he waved his free hand at her. “Well, don’t just stand there, go get the jet ready, pilot.” Her answer, a toss of her head and the flash of a smile in her eyes as she turned and left, was enough to assure him he was doing the right thing.

Onboard the Gulfstream, he fidgeted in his seat during the pre-flight check, wishing they could just take off like he would if he was in his suit. He was half tempted to take off anyways and let Nat catch up to him at the Baltimore Airport. Rhodes had made him promise to not go by himself, though, so he waited and fidgeted instead. Pulling out his laptop, he brought up the captured feed from the phone call, still working on unraveling the many bounces and redirects to try and pinpoint her location. 

“Almost got it,” he thought, tweaking the parameters just a bit to refine the signal. Just as he was about to let Rhodes know to expect results soon, his phone rang again, the ringtone telling him it was the new line. 

“Hello, Iron Man here.”

“Hello, Tony. Find me yet?” her question came through static, like she was outside in a windy area, followed by that chuckle. 

Tony grinned. “I’ll have your location in three more passes,” he bragged, feeling certain of the outcome of his program. 

“Oh good. I was hoping you hadn’t given up yet.” A brief pause with noises in the background like traffic came through the windy static. “I figured you’d be close so I called to give you another shot at it when the first one failed. See ya in Baltimore!”

The phone line went dead just as the program beeped to signal its completion. Tony was feeling insulted that she thought he would fail, until he looked at the results. The program was telling him that the first call had originated with his own phone.

Frustration mingled with amusement, causing him a moment of stress where he wasn’t sure if he should laugh or throw something. Settling on laughter, he chuckled and started up the program again on the new call, tweaking it again to narrow the tracking down to the area around Baltimore. This time, he was able to catch the instance where the program was corrupted to turn back on itself and prevent it, which allowed it to correctly find the location of the call. 

Surprisingly, it was not coming from the Baltimore Airport, but instead from somewhere near the Capitol buildings in DC. Why she was there, Tony had no idea, unless she was sightseeing. He checked the caller id on his phone and wondered if he should call her back and ask her. With only a second’s hesitation, he tapped the button and held the phone up, watching it dial her number.

 

Malaki was pleasantly surprised when her phone rang and the caller id showed Tony’s, rather than Iron Man’s, number. She wondered if he had figured out the tracking trick she’d sent his computer. “Hello, Tony,” she answered the call with a smile.

“Why are you in DC?” Tony replied, answering her unasked question about the tracking. “Shouldn’t you be on your way to Baltimore? We’ll be arriving in 25 minutes.”

“Comparative history studies,” Malaki answered. “I like to play ‘What is the same and What is different’ when I go exploring.”

“And how is it so far?” Tony seemed genuinely interested.

“Very close to what I’ve seen elsewhere for this time period. Some different faces, but only in minor positions. The biggest thing so far is the anti-mutant, anti-super sentiment that is prevalent around here.” A gust of wind blew across her face, raising static on the phone line. When it cleared she asked, ”Did you say something, Tony?”

The line was silent for a second, then his voice came back, subdued. “No, but we can talk more about that over dinner, if you like.” He didn’t sound too eager to pursue that subject. The line stayed silent for several seconds before he spoke again. “Well, have you decided what you want for dinner?”

Malaki felt the mental closing of that subject and decided not to pursue it further right now. Now was for getting to know him, not picking his brain on local politics. Enough time for that later. “How about Marseilles? Do they have a lovely little restaurant on the shore of the Mediterranean with lots of different cheeses here?”

Tony laughed. “As a matter of fact, yes. You do have some interesting knowledge of Earth, don’t you?” 

“What can I say? I love Earth food, more than anything else around the galaxy.” She wasn’t exaggerating. Her own place, Smuggler’s Blues, out on the 4th moon of Tyvius, in the 2nd Galactic Dimension of the PMG, had an entire floor dedicated to serving human food, specifically dishes from the Earths she had visited. 

“G-Galaxy?” Tony stuttered the word, sounding a bit shocked. Malaki realized she hadn’t mentioned planet-hopping, just dimension-hopping.

“Woops, didn’t mean to shock you, Tony. No worries, not invading, remember?” She chuckled softly as she reassured him. His in-drawn breath could be heard over her phone line, making her wonder if he really was worried about an invasion. She didn’t blame him, not after learning the history of the Avengers over the past three days. “Guess I should really be going if I’m gonna meet you in Baltimore, neh?”

“Yeah, yes you should.” His own chuckle was hesitant, thoughtful even. She heard him sigh before he ended the call this time. 

After a few moments of inner discussion and evaluation of her energy level, she decided that driving would be better than gating to the airport, especially since she only had a basic knowledge of the airport’s layout. Not to mention the expression on Tony’s face if she did gate in. This brought a grin to her own face, imagining that look. 

She searched the fastest route to the airport in Baltimore from here as well as the fastest vehicle and came up with a short list of cars available in the surrounding area that would meet her need. Hailing a cab, she left the Greenbelt behind and headed to a nearby car lot. After some quick negotiation, she managed to procure an older model Maserati, black with red interior and a full tank of gas. Paying for it in full with a certified bank draft definitely made the salesman more willing to help out, as always. 

Relying on her memory of the road map, straight shot that it was, she was able to make it most of the way there before the lights of a state trooper popped up behind her. The decision to expend some energy and make herself disappear was an easy one. Meeting up with Tony was way more important than placating some patrolman’s sense of importance by allowing him to catch her and give her a ticket for speeding. There was the question of her ID papers as well. They looked good, but having been a rush job from a local vendor she'd found in a quick online search, she wasn't ready to put them to the test just yet. Soon she'd have real enough license and passport and wouldn't have to worry about it. Until then, best to stay under the radar. 

Passing the slower cars on the right, she used the shoulder of the highway to speed past, bending the light around the outside of the car until she seemed to vanish into the late afternoon sun, leaving the state trooper behind, bewildered and unsure if he should even confirm the pursuit. She held the reflection for a few more minutes, making sure she was out of sight of any cameras before easing back into the flow of traffic and allowing herself to become visible again. 

Soon, the exit for the airport came up and she left the evening traffic behind, except for those cars heading to the airport like she was. It took her a little while to figure out where the General Aviation section was and she hoped that she was right in expecting Tony to land there rather than up at the main terminals where the commercial flights came to unload their passengers. Security didn’t seem any tighter than usual, so she was fairly certain they were either not expecting him, or were used to people like him landing there all the time. 

She really hoped it was the later, or things might get sticky once they realized he was landing. Nice and quiet was much preferred, especially since she was still new here and as with the trooper, didn’t have her paperwork all in order just yet. It would be embarrassing to have to ask Tony to help her out. That might give him the impression she owed him something. 

Having only had the three days to establish herself here, she didn’t want to owe him anything, just yet. Fortunately, according to her research, the General Aviation section of the airport had less security than the public areas. This would let her get in without the TSA checks that the public airlines made their passengers go through.

She pulled into the parking lot and up to the valet stand. Noting the look of appreciation on the valet’s face, she grinned at him as she handed him the keys. 

“Take care of her, she’s a classic.” His answering grin was reassuring. She held the grin on her own face as she entered the building, despite the nervous hollow filled with butterflies she felt growing in her stomach.


	4. Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Malaki meet up for dinner. Malaki and Natasha get off to a rocky start, prompting Natasha to call for backup.

Tony paced back and forth in the private lounge of the GA terminal at the BWI Airport, watching Natasha keep people from approaching him and wondering why it was taking Malaki so long to show up. He’d paged her over the intercom as she’d suggested and had to refrain from calling her, not wanting to show how wound up he was in front of Nat. So he paced, wanting to know if there had been any trouble with getting from DC to here, hoping she was just caught in late evening traffic. Several times, he’d been tempted to head back out to the plane to get his Iron Man suit, each time caught by the look in Nat’s eyes, watching him way too closely to allow that to happen. 

He glanced at his watch. Forty-five minutes had passed since he’d spoken with her and he was a wreck. Yet he felt excited, hopeful even. She’d mentioned Marseilles, some place most people didn’t even give a second thought to when thinking about places to go eat. He wondered where she’d heard of it. Natasha had been unimpressed when he’d asked her to put in a flight plan for the airport there and had informed him that she wasn’t flying him 10 hours over the Atlantic for dinner. That didn’t count for much, actually, as it took something unusual to impress Natasha. 

 

Natasha was more impressed than she let on. This mystery woman had Tony wound up like she hadn’t seen him in a long time. Especially in the last few months. At the same time, she was wary, expecting this to turn out badly. She considered her pessimism to be one of her strength, a part of her heritage. That way, if something went right, it was a nice surprise, but she was always prepared for the times, more often than not, when things went pear-shaped. 

This, though, was just strange all around. Not that she wasn’t used to strange. Considering where she lived and worked, strange was the norm. This took it to a new level, something she hadn’t even considered. An extra-dimensional visitor, female and apparently attractive, meeting them at a public airport. She shook her head and looked at Tony, catching him looking like he was about to head out the door and grab his suit, again. 

She wondered if he was really that nervous about meeting up with this mystery woman again or was he wanting to go looking for her, considering she was late for their appointment. Again, not a real surprise. What woman wouldn’t make a man like Tony wait for her? Even an alien woman should have that much sense. 

Natasha’s senses suddenly went on full alert as she spotted the woman whose picture Tony had shown her on the flight over here. She almost didn’t recognize her, dressed up and made up like she was now and looking more...vibrant was the word that came to mind. Malaki, he’d said her name was. She looked over at Tony, only to find him standing frozen in the middle of the lounge area, captivated by the mystery woman’s approach. Stepping forward between Tony and the newcomer, Nat extended her hand.

“Hello and welcome. My name is Natalie. I’m Mr. Stark’s pilot and attache.”

The mystery woman took Natasha’s hand and returned the firm handshake with just the right amount of force. “Zdravstvuyte, ya Malaki . Vy yego telokhranitel', a? Ya dumal, chto ty predstavitel' shchita?”

Shocked, all Natasha could do was look at her. Malaki was taller than she’d expected, all of 170 centimeters at least. Hair the color of polished wood was long and braided into one thick length and hanging over her right shoulder, with curly bangs hiding eyes that truly were green, just as Tony had whispered, green and old, like looking into gems on an old piece of jewelry. She wasn’t skinny either, Natasha noticed, but rather well-proportioned and carrying herself like she was skilled enough to protect herself. 

The Russian accent was strange, but passable, indicating to Natasha that this woman had done her homework. The mention of SHIELD, however, made her look back at Tony, who held up his hands and said, “Jamming signal, remember?”

Natasha nodded, stepping to the side. “Da. I ne zabud'te ob etom.” Their eyes locked and Malaki smiled, her mouth stretching wide, revealing strong, white teeth. 

“Of course not,” she replied, “Natalie.” 

 

Malaki’s heart was racing as she stepped past the hot Russian woman playing attache & pilot to greet Tony as he waited there for her. The fire in those cool blue eyes would have been enough to grab her attention if it wasn’t already captured by the man with the intense brown eyes watching her confront one of the most dangerous women she’d ever met. 

“Hello, Tony. Sorry I'm late. The traffic was an absolute bear coming up from DC.” She held out her hand, then hesitated, remembering how he'd reacted at the restaurant three days ago.

Tony grinned and took her hand, gripping it in both of his. He had felt his pulse jump at the sight of her, looking healthy and well-fed compared to when he’d first met her. It was obvious now that her trip had drained her and she’d had to recover. Taking her hand had been an impulse, but one he was glad he’d followed. Resisting the urge to kiss her cheek, not sure how she’d react to that greeting, he spoke.

“You look well. I'm glad to see you've gotten more food and sleep the last couple of days.” He let her hand loose.

A tiny crease appeared between her eyebrows. “It's been almost four days. Have you gotten any sleep?” 

She sounded concerned, which made him oddly happy. Before he could answer as they headed out the door to the tarmac, Natasha laughed, short and sharp. Tony flashed her a scowl, then turned back to Malaki with a smile. 

“I've slept.” When Natasha laughed again, he protested. “Have too. At least four hours...sometime in the last 24.”

Malaki shook her head. “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

Tony laughed and reached out to hold her by the elbow as they headed up the stairs into the plane. The frisson of her skin under his fingertips, silky smooth and warm, sent a thrill through him, heightening his senses. Her smell wafted over him, spicy and sweet, giving him thoughts he hadn't had in awhile.

She was wearing a loose fitting cream-colored blouse with mid-length sleeves, extra folds of material falling down her torso, hiding yet emphasizing her curves. Her legs were sheathed in some shiny material that looked and smelled like leather, as did the knee-high boots on her feet. The mahogany and gold hair had been somewhat tamed by the braid she’d pulled it into and draped over her right shoulder, but the curls were escaping around the edges, with her bangs a riot of them. Around her neck she was wearing a worked-metal necklace, made of a dull silver metal and embedded with blue and white crystals. Earrings to match were hanging from shapely ears, visible now with her hair out of the way.

She caught him staring at her and smiled, then winked at him before eagerly turning back to enter the plane close on Natasha’s heels. If Tony hadn’t known better, he would have considered her as an imposter, possibly even a fraud. Her actions were human enough, though she had triggered Natasha, to the point of her intercepting Malaki, only to be swiftly blocked by whatever it was Malaki had said to her. It had sounded like Russian, but the volume of their words had been too low for him to discern completely. That her accent was unlike anything he’d ever heard still had him convinced she wasn’t faking her trip through the anomaly. Of course, once he had her at the Avenger’s facility, they’d be able to gather more solid evidence to support her claims and then decide what needed to be done about it. First, he wanted some time with her to find out what he could about her agenda and dinner was always a good way to get someone relaxed and talking. 

Once inside the plane, she quickly picked out a seat and flopped into it, letting out a sigh at the comfort of the cushions and fastening her seatbelt. Watching him be seated, she asked, “So where are we really going?”

Tony raised his eyebrows trying to feign surprise at her insightful question. “What makes you think we aren’t going to Marseilles? That’s where you said you wanted to go.”

She let out that chuckle again, the breathy one that made his stomach flip just a bit. “Because this plane isn’t one that can make it there in less than 10 hours. Unless,” she gave him a lopsided smile, “it has hidden capabilities. Otherwise, the only way we’d make a dinner seating in Marseilles would be with your suit.” She leaned closer and in a conspiratorial tone murmured, “And I think Danger Girl up in the cockpit would be righteously pissed if we took off without her.” 

Watching her lean forward and then back with that smirk on her mobile lips, Tony found that he had lost his breath when he went to retort to her smug statement. All he could do was shake his head and smile back. He had to remember to draw in a lungful of air before he could speak. “Where do you think we’re going, then?”

Another smirk touched her lips. “New York, most likely. It does seem to be your favorite stomping grounds.” 

The familiar tension swept over him at the mention of that city. The fact that she knew it meant she’d been doing her research, something he’d suspected before with her reaction to Nat, but now proved to be a certainty. Her calling the city his stomping grounds didn’t seem to be an accidental choice of words, either, judging by the intensity with which she was watching him. He flexed his left arm, feeling a tightness there, and smiled tightly at her. “You’ve done your homework in the last couple of days, haven’t you. What did you say to Nat earlier that had her jumping like she was bitten? It was in Russian, right? Something about SHIELD?”

 

Malaki noted the tightness around Tony’s eyes and how he rolled his left arm. She doubted he even realized he was doing it. The mention of New York had obviously touched a sore spot with him. She let him change the subject with the question about the pilot. “Yes, it was Russian. I was just asking her to confirm herself as a SHIELD agent, like it says in her information online.”

“SHIELD doesn’t exist anymore.” Tony quipped, rolling his shoulders.

“Sure it doesn’t, okay.” Malaki nodded and let it go, not wanting to get him any more upset than he already was. 

Tony heard the passive-aggressive tone of her agreement and scowled at her before pasting a smile back on his face. “Well, since you guessed our destination correctly, do you want to suggest a restaurant?”

“No, you would have a better idea of what is available than I do right now,” Malaki replied, nonchalantly waving her hand at him, turning her attention to the view out the window next to her seat. “I’d have to rely on whatever I could find online. You don’t want to trust your stomach to some unknown snob’s review of their favorite restaurant, do you?”

Tony laughed, short and sharp. “No, not really. I’ll see what I can come up with on such short notice.” He was rewarded with one of her quick smiles in response. Opening his laptop that was sitting on the table between their chairs, he quickly found a couple of places that he could get into on short notice and made reservations at the best one, then made arrangements for a car to meet them at the airport. All while he was tapping on his computer, she was staring out the window, though he was sure she was watching him in her peripheral vision. 

He was watching her as well, which made it hard to type while looking between his screen and her face. Two or three times he found he had stopped searching, stopped looking at his screen to look at her face, search her profile, wonder what she was looking at, what she was thinking. He scolded himself when he caught himself doing it, but then his attention would wander back to her, sometimes in the middle of what he was thinking. Dismissing it due to fatigue, after all he’d only slept for a few hours in the last day, and none before that since the anomaly had appeared, he forced his attention back to what he’d been doing, which was running a scan on her biometrics. 

Or trying to, at least. There was way more interference than he’d expected, making him suspect she was using her tech again to jam his scanner. That was intriguing, especially as she didn’t appear to have anything tech-wise on her. Unless it was hidden in her boots, came the thought. This led to the unbidden image of taking her boots off, sliding them down her calves, caressing the exposed skin...Tony shivered as the image caused a physical reaction to sweep over him. 

Her laugh was soft, catching his attention and bringing his gaze up to meet hers. 

“I don’t know if you are falling asleep over there or getting lost in thought, Tony.” 

He raised his eyebrows and smirked at her. “Neither, but I might as well have been asleep. You’re still jamming my equipment, aren’t you?” Her answering smile was enough to confirm it. “How?” he asked. “Is there something in your pocket, or your boots?”

She smiled again and reached into the top of her left boot, that leg crossed over her right, and pulled out a normal looking phone. “This is all I have in my boots. As you can see,” she held it out to him, “it’s just a phone.”

He nodded, not taking the phone but believing her. “You’re not going to tell me, are you? Not that I blame you, I just really want to know.” 

Her nose crinkled up, but more like she was laughing at him than reacting to a bad smell, as her mouth was turned up and exposing her teeth. An odd expression, he thought. 

“Maybe later, after we get to know each other better,” she replied. She glanced down at the phone in her lap, then back up at him. “You should answer your phone.”

Tony was about to ask how she could tell that when his phone rang. The number indicated it was Fury, probably wanting an update on the situation. Rolling his eyes at the phone, he grinned at her and stood, then walked towards the back of the plane to take the call. 

 

Malaki smiled back and watched him walk away, his head bent to the phone as he answered the call. Flexing her fingers, she reached out and cajoled the air currents in the plane to shift around, providing her the ability to overhear the conversation. She had no qualms about listening in, especially as it was almost certain it would be about her. At the same time, she tweaked the current coming in from the cabin, blocking the woman up there from hearing anything coming from back here yet allowing Malaki to hear anything she might say while up in the cabin by herself. 

Her suspicion was rewarded when her phone buzzed again, letting her know that Natalie was making a phone call to an unknown, unlisted number. Malaki’s phone had started off as a normal phone, but what she hadn’t told Tony was that she’d upgraded it to be compatible with her own devices. She’d figured Tony wouldn’t take it from her if she handed it to him, so she hadn’t been worried when he’d asked about it. She tapped her phone, setting the trace on Natalie’s call as well as starting a recording of what she said, then dropped it in her lap and focused in on Tony’s conversation.

“...not going to bring her to the facility, Fury. We know nothing about her and her tech. If she poses a risk, then I can handle it outside,” Tony insisted, his tone low and firm. Fury, thought Malaki, wasn’t buying it. “Bring her in, Tony. We have all the protocols in place to deal with anything she can throw at us. You said she appears human, right?” When Tony responded with “Yes, but…” Fury cut him off. “No buts, she may be more than you can handle, but not the team. And if she is, then we definitely don’t want her running around unchecked in New York. Do we?” The click that ended the call came before Tony could reply. 

Malaki could see him squeezing the phone like he wanted to wring someone’s neck. Probably Fury’s. She checked Natalie’s call. It hadn’t lasted long and was directed to a phone in Brooklyn.

 

Up in the cockpit, Natasha was perplexed. She could normally hear everything that was going on back there, allowing her to keep tabs in case Tony needed backup. The last thing she’d heard was Tony’s phone ring and then it all went silent, like coming into a sudden fog. Her nerves were on edge enough as it was. She knew Tony wanted to land in New York but her gut was telling her she should take them to the Avengers’ base and let the team deal with this stranger. Not that she wanted to go against Tony’s command, but she just didn’t feel safe. 

The fact that the stranger had known about her past connection to SHIELD wasn’t much of a concern. Since she’d dumped the info on the net a few years ago, most of it had been scrubbed by programs sent out to find and erase that info by Tony himself, but it was still there for those who knew what to look for. 

It was the strangeness she’d felt when gripping Malaki’s hand that bothered her. That and her eyes. Staring into those eyes, Nat felt like she was looking up into the night sky, catching light that had taken millennia to get to her. Ageless yet youthful, wise and knowing and rather cynical but very much alive was the feeling she’d gotten from that gaze. That, more than the words or the use of Russian, had shocked her, setting her nerves on edge. 

She pulled out her phone and dialed a number she’d copied from Tony’s phone recently. It had been programmed in but not called, according to the logs. The area code was one she knew and if it was for who she thought it was, his help would be needed soon, her gut told her. It rang twice before being answered.

“Hello, who is this?” It was indeed him, and it was good to hear his voice again.

“It’s me, Nat. Don’t hang up, please.” She hoped she didn’t sound desperate. Didn’t care if she did. “We have a situation that might need a hand.”

“Go on,” he said, wariness and interest contrasting in his voice. 

“The anomaly that was in the news? Down in Virginia, right? We’ve picked up an intruder that came through it. We’ll be landing in New York soon. LaGuardia, unless Tony changes the plan. Can you meet us somewhere?”

“I’ll find you. Don’t worry, Nat. I’ve got your back.” his voice was soothing to her jangled nerves. “Take care.” Then he was gone, the call ended. 

Checking the flight instruments one more time, Nat set the autopilot, then stood and headed back to the main area of the plane to check on Tony, her nerves jumping from not being able to hear anything.

 

Malaki released her hold on the air currents and allowed them to return to normal as Tony sat down. He didn’t look at her but instead focused on the screen of his laptop, scowling as though it had offended him. She felt a strong urge to rub at the lines between his eyebrows and smooth them away. Twining her fingers together, she watched him for a moment, then heard Natalie come in from the cockpit. She turned to see the red-headed, dangerous girl approaching, one hand behind her, most likely on a weapon of some sort. 

“Is everything alright, Tony?” she said. Tony looked up, surprised by her approach. Malaki noted how Natalie moved sideways to keep her focus on the one she was watching, that being herself. She resisted smiling in approval, knowing Natalie wouldn’t take it the way she meant it. 

Keeping her hands in her lap, Malaki tapped three times on the phone, triggering it to shut off. No need to risk anyone getting into it if things went south. The sound of her fingernail on the glass screen drew Natalie’s attention like a predator hearing the footsteps of its prey. Feeling threatened now, Malaki smiled, fiercely baring her teeth, letting Natalie know she wasn’t afraid. 

 

Tony sensed the tension between the two women across from him, especially after Malaki smiled at Nat, baring her teeth like she was about to attack. He was reminded of lionesses going after the same prey, neither of them willing to concede to the other for dominance. “Everything’s fine, Nat. You should go back to the cockpit and get ready to land the plane.” He kept his voice low and calm, only raising his right hand a little to make small petting motions, wanting her to ease off her trigger, knowing she had her hand on the gun behind her back. 

Malaki’s hands were both in her lap, but Tony knew people could move a lot faster than you’d expect them to, so he wasn’t taking any chances. 

“Are you sure?” Nat’s question brought his attention back to her. Her eyes were wide, pupils blown as though she was in the dark and waiting for an attack. 

“Yes, I’m sure. Fury wanted me to go back to headquarters but I told him no. We need to land at the airport just like we decided. I need you to land the plane, do you understand?” Tony made sure his words were soft and clear to reach Nat. He wasn’t sure what had set her off, as the last thing he’d seen before the phone call was Malaki sitting in her seat, watching him. 

When Nat nodded and turned back to go to the cockpit, Tony followed, getting close enough to place a hand on the small of her back. He could feel her trembling beneath his touch. After they reached the cockpit, he slid the door shut behind them and sat in the co-pilot’s seat. Watching her as she checked over the instruments, it was obvious she was shaken by what had happened, or nearly happened. Her reaction was unexpected as she was normally the one to take everything in stride. 

“Are you okay, Nat? What’s got you so wound up? Talk to me,” he said, leaving it at that, hoping she would open up. He wasn’t the one that she usually talked to. That person was not around any longer, at least not where he could help out with this right now. Tony tried not to scowl at that thought and pushed it aside. 

Natasha remained silent for several minutes, making him wonder if she was going to talk to him or not. Then she drew in a deep breath and let it out, turning to him after checking the autopilot. “Everything just went silent back there. I couldn’t hear anything at all. You know that’s not right. And when I came out there, she looked at me, you saw how she looked at me! She looked and was simply unafraid.” She stopped and drew in another deep breath, wiping her face with one hand, then looked him in the eye. “What are we doing here, Tony? Why aren’t we on a Quinjet on the way to Headquarters? This,” she tossed her head back, indicating the jet and their passenger all in one motion, “is crazy. That person is too dangerous…”

“Hold on now,” Tony held up his hand. “We don’t know what she’s capable of yet.”

“Don’t kid yourself,” Nat glared at him, her eyebrows furrowed. “She is probably the most dangerous person I’ve ever met. Have you looked at her eyes? Actually looked at them?” She looked back out over the wheel of the plane and shuddered. “They are old and full of so many things…” Her voice trailed off and she wrapped her arms around herself, shivering.

Tony paused and considered this reaction. “Are you really that afraid of her, Nat?” he asked softly. He watched her face harden at the suggestion that she was afraid, watched her mentally shake herself and stiffen her spine. When he was certain that she had pulled herself back together, he stood to leave. Her voice came soft but tough, an iron fist in a velvet glove. 

"I'm not afraid of her, Tony. I'm afraid that you aren't. You need to be very careful, or things could get bad, very quickly." 

Noting her white knuckles on the yoke of the plane controls, Tony nodded. "I promise, Nat, I will listen to you on this. I trust your instincts, especially in this situation. I..." he paused, wondering if she would believe what he was about to say, knowing he was having a hard time saying it, "I don't think I'm able to see this as clearly as I need to." He stayed silent for another long moment, then voiced what he hoped he wouldn't regret saying. "If you say we need to bring her in, then I agree to follow up on that. Just give me tonight, okay?" 

When she nodded silently, he reached out and gave her shoulder a squeeze. She looked up at him, skepticism written across her face in broad strokes. "We're gonna need backup, Tony. There's no way we can do this by ourselves." 

Tony thought about it, but not for long. “Very well, call in the rest of the team. Have them meet up in New York and follow us discreetly.” He rose and turned to leave, then paused at the door. “And if you happen to know anyone else that might want to give us a hand, contact them too, ‘kay.”

He had already headed out the door, back to the cabin, and so missed the smug smile Nat gave him as he left.


	5. or Flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony begins to realize the predicament he is in with Malaki, but has a hard time treating her as a threat. They land and meet up with their backup, much to Nat's relief. Tony gets a shock as he sees who is along for the ride.

Tony did his best to saunter back into the cabin of the plane, acting like nothing unusual had happened, that he wasn’t going back into a dangerous situation with little knowledge of what he was actually facing. He’d indeed seen how Malaki had looked at Nat and wondered how he had missed that the first time, that aggressiveness, the fierceness in her eyes. He blamed the sunglasses.

She’d duped him that way, if not with her other actions. Now he needed to get her someplace that his team could give him backup while still allowing him to find out more, without causing her to bolt and hide. Somehow he knew that if that happened, she’d never trust him. That’s when he realized he really wanted her to trust him and wondered why that was. 

She was still seated where she’d been the whole flight, hands in her lap, cool and composed as if she wasn’t someplace strange, hostile even. Her level stare caught him, held him and he felt himself getting twitchy, wanting to move, to fly. Normally, he’d just drop out of the plane in his suit and be gone. This was not normal and he didn’t know how to deal with that. Not now, especially. 

He stood there for a full minute, hands on his hips, watching her watch him, before she gave him a small smile, then spoke softly, her affected drawl emphasized. “I’m sorry about that, Tony. Did I ruin our plans for dinner?”

“Well, not ruin, exactly,” he replied. “It would help if you could apologize to Nat and promise not to do that,” he motioned at her face with one hand, “again.” 

“Of course,” she assured him. “I am rather embarrassed at my overreaction. I blame the time-lag. I’m still catching up to things here.”

“Speaking of which,” Tony moved to his seat and fastened his seatbelt as Nat announced their approach to the airport, “why are you here?”

She followed his example and fastened her own seatbelt before answering. “I’m an explorer. This is my first trip here to this dimension of a planet I know very well from my home plane of existence.”

“Yes, but why here? Why this dimension?” Tony couldn’t help but wonder if it had anything to do with the occurrences of the past several years creating a disturbance that might have drawn the attention of people like her. If so...he didn’t even want to consider that right now.

Her eyes narrowed as she thought about it. The intensity of her inward gaze did something to his breathing, making him turn and look out the window as the view became filled with the setting sun and the lights of the city and airport. It was a sight he’d seen a hundred times, but at least he was able to catch his breath. 

“You could say I was attracted by the possibility of meeting new people,” she finally answered. “You and your pilot,” she drew the word out for emphasis, an interesting little smile touching her lips momentarily, “and others like you are rather unique in your identities. Imagine a wheel,” she brought her hands up to draw out a circle, “divided into slices and each slice is a different dimension.” She looked at him and he nodded, waiting for her to continue. “If I am from the dimension that is at the top of the wheel,” she placed one hand up high, “then the slices that are closest to my home are going to be very similar to my own world. Fun if a little boring. And well explored.” She made a face that succinctly expressed her thoughts on this. “So I tend to go to slices that are farther away. Yours,” she moved her other hand to the opposite of the first, “is nearly the total opposite of mine.” Her shoulder shrug spoke volumes.

 

Malaki watched Tony’s face as she explained in simple terms the complexity that was dimension-hopping, noting how he seemed to just drink in the information and still want more. He sat there when she finished, contemplating what she’d said, plucking at his bottom lip with his right hand, his eyes focused somewhere other than straight ahead. Suddenly, he changed gears, his gaze going calm as he looked around, like he was just taking notice of their surroundings for the first time. 

“I am sorry, but I must be the worst host ever. I haven’t even offered you a drink. Would you like some water? Or a glass of wine before we land?” He sat forward, attentive to her response.

With a wry smile, Malaki acquiesced to his changing the subject yet again. “I’ll take a bottle of water, sure.” 

He reached under the table to pull out two bottles of water and set one on the table, opening the other and taking a long drink from it. Malaki picked up the bottle he’d set on the table and opened it, sniffing it before taking a drink.

“What? Is there something wrong with the water now?” Tony’s tone seemed a bit miffed.

She gave him a tiny smile. “No. I wanted to be sure this wasn’t mineral water. I don’t like that stuff.” 

He didn’t reply, but sat there studying her, holding his bottle in one hand like he’d forgotten he had it still. She decided to prod him a bit.

“Any more questions you’d like to ask me before dinner?”

“I have a thousand questions for you.” He shook his head and chuckled. “Yet when I open my mouth, nothing comes out. I’m beginning to think you’re jamming more than my computers.”

Malaki felt herself blush. Turning back to the window, she played his maneuver against him. “Is that the airport over there?” she asked, pointing to the lights visible outside. From the corner of her eye, she could see him still studying her, not looking out the window or even moving from where he was. 

“Yes, that’s LaGuardia. We’ll be landing at the GA terminal in just a few more minutes. I’ve arranged for a car to meet us there so we don’t have to worry about catching a cab.” His voice was low and nonchalant, saying the obvious and revealing nothing on the surface. Malaki knew she would have to do the same for a little while, get herself under control and stay that way if she wanted this budding relationship to go beyond more than this confrontation. 

In her gut she could feel the tidal pull of powerful forces at work, telling her she something was coming, something memorable, but only if she didn’t screw it up. Causing Tony and his compatriots to mistrust her, to regard her as a threat, as the enemy, would negate this opportunity and lay waste to everything before it could come to fruition. She’d been drawn to this dimension for a reason. If she was to find out why, then it behooved her to be on her best behavior and stop being so careless and impulsive.

 

Tony continued to study the woman across from him, watching her act like she was looking out the window, but not really seeing anything, her gaze turned inward again. He felt like he was on the verge of a major discovery, standing on the edge of a cliff and staring into the unknown. That normally would excite him. Nothing he loved more than finding out knowledge that had never been discovered before. This was different somehow. The abyss he was staring into was looking back at him this time. 

The comment he’d made had slipped out before he could stop it, making for an awkward moment between them now. Her blush had been unexpected and intriguing. She was rapidly turning into a conundrum of extremes, scarring Natasha on the one hand and reacting so innocently to an unexpected compliment on the other. What he wanted to do and what was expected of him, what others demanded that he do, was pulling him in opposite directions. 

If he was to trust his instinct, he would take her to dinner, wine and dine her and pester her with questions until their throats were sore from talking, then kiss her and take her home with him. There, he’d admitted to himself, he was very attracted to her. That made it less likely for him to trust his instinct though. His passions always clouded his judgement, as seen from past experience. 

If he was to follow protocol, to do what his teammates and Fury wanted, he would scramble a Quinjet and have them met at the airport to take her to the Avengers’ HQ, where she’d be constrained and questioned and examined like the dangerous specimen she appeared to be. Somehow, he didn’t think that course of action would go as smoothly in reality as it sounded in theory.

So he was settling for something in the middle. 

Their silence was interrupted by the plane’s descent and landing, the squeal of the tires hitting the runway and the quick braking before the plane taxied into the unloading area happening with them watching each other, no words said between them. Tony found himself going over her explanation of how she had ended up here, in his dimension. It was simplistic to say the least, but then for most people, it worked. He wondered if she knew more and just wasn’t saying or if this was like people and their cell phones, using them but not really having any clue as to how they really worked. 

Natasha came back to the cabin after the plane engines slowed to idle, sauntering back as though she had never been on the verge of losing her cool. “We can disembark now, Tony. There’ll be someone to come park the plane here in a minute. She paused, letting the silence gain weight before finishing, “Our car and driver are waiting for us.” She barely gave Malaki a glance before heading over to the door and unlocking it to open onto the stairs leading down to the pavement. 

Tony turned to Malaki and held out his hand. “Shall we, my lady?” 

He grinned as he said it and Malaki felt her stomach jump up into her throat and threaten to choke her while her heart stuttered and skipped several beats before finding its rhythm at a much faster pace than it had been working at previously. She covered for being out of breath by twisting the top of her water bottle shut and setting it down on the table, then messing with her hair for half a minute before taking his hand and following him out the door and down the stairs. 

Her hand slipped into his and Tony felt like he’d been shocked when her skin and his rubbed together. Involuntarily, his hand tightened on hers, only to be met with equal strength, like she was hanging onto him as well. The breeze blowing across the tarmac caught her scent and blew it around him, titillating him with its spicy sweetness. A sudden thought slipped through his mind, of running away from everything, this strangely exciting woman by his side, though it didn’t stay long. He almost didn’t catch it and when he did, wondered if he was being more affected by lack of sleep than usual, to lose his mind like this.

They were met at the bottom of the stairs by his car, the passenger-side back door being held open by a man in a dark suit and cap, though it wasn’t his usual driver. Clint grinned at him and winked as Natasha passed by to get into the front seat. His face went serious, eyes narrowed as Tony handed Malaki into the back seat, evaluating the threat of the situation. With a tilt of his head and the lifting of one eyebrow, Tony understood Clint to be asking him if everything was copacetic. Tony smiled and gave a nod, then got in next to her, not realizing the smile was still on his face.

 

Malaki saw Tony physically relax at the smile from his driver, whom she recognized immediately from the SHIELD files she had found during her research on the Avengers. Clint Barton, marksman and expert in many fields of espionage and strategy and supposedly retired from the Avengers was here, dressed like a chauffeur and acting like a bodyguard. His presence was definitely welcome, though, as she could see Natalie in the front seat looking calm and steady now. 

As Tony settled down next to her, his left hand found hers again, his fingers entwining with hers without him even looking at her. Malaki wondered if he realized he had done it. Not that she was about to say or do anything to make him release her. She was enjoying the feel of his skin against hers too much for that, along with the strength of his fingers wrapped up with hers. The glare that Natalie threw at her only added spice to the whole situation. 

Barton climbed into the driver’s seat of the car and slung his arm over the back, turning to look at Tony. “Where to, boss?” 

Tony didn’t look at him as he gave the address, instead Malaki found herself to be the focus of his attention as he placed red-framed glasses with oversize lenses on his face. She noticed the tiny lights on the inner hinges of the frames and guessed that these were linked to his suit so he could remotely control it while in the car with her. The images would be beamed directly into his eyes, onto his optic nerves, allowing him to read out the data. If not directly to his optic nerve, much like her system did, then onto the lenses of the glasses, with the same effect. She checked her system and found that he was scanning her again, but not for biometrics or signals this time, just an overall reading. Relaxing into the soft leather seat of the car, she smiled and gave his hand a squeeze.

 

Tony felt her squeeze his hand and realized he’d grabbed it again after getting in the car. He didn’t release it, just squoze back and continued to view the data being gathered by the passive scan he was running, allowing the data to stream by as it accumulated. Why she had stopped jamming the signal was a mystery. Maybe she wants to earn your trust, the voice in the back of his mind whispered. It was a thought worth considering, he decided. 

The earpiece he’d placed along with the glasses buzzed a bit as his teammates checked in, Natasha and Clint here in the car, Vision in the air and Wanda in the Quinjet now overhead. Clint had raised the bulletproof glass divider before taking off, isolating him here in the back seat with her. He felt relaxed now, excited even, with everyone here and around him. 

A beep in his earpiece indicated the scan had completed and was ready to give him the compiled data. As he was reviewing it, Clint announced they were pulling into a gas station to wash bird poop off the window. Tony frowned a bit, until Nat spoke up and said they were picking up some extra stuff as well. He interpreted that to mean she had contacted that person and he’d agreed to play backup. This would be where he met up with them, if that was the case. Smiling over at Malaki, he read the results and was not surprised by them. 

“It’s your necklace, isn’t it?” he asked into the silence they were enjoying. When she raised an eyebrow at him, he grinned and nodded at the elaborate piece in the center, bearing a large blue crystal in a stylized sunburst of dull silver metal and flanked on either side by three panels of the same metal with smaller white and blue crystals. It had taken him a while to place it, but once he’d read the scan, he realized she’d been wearing it as a belt the first day they’d met.

 

Malaki smirked a bit, tickled by how pleased he was with his announcement. She took the opportunity to reach up and touch the center crystal, sublingually requesting her system to monitor communications, specifically to and from her area. With two visible members of the Avengers besides Tony, it was a good bet the others were close-by and she didn’t want to take a chance on any surprises at the moment. Not when things were going so well now. 

Sure enough, she caught a response to Natalie’s check-in request from a nearby source, one on the ground and moving toward them quickly. 

“Almost there, Nat. We’ll pull in at the station and follow you once you leave.” 

“Affirmative, Cap,” came Natalie’s response, her voice terse and professional. 

A chuckle came back over the frequency. “I don’t know if you should call me that anymore, Nat.”

Malaki heard Nat snort with displeasure before replying. “I wouldn’t know what else to call you, besides by your name and that is so unprofessional when on a mission.”

“Oh, so this is a mission now? Officially or unofficially?” came his retort.

“Operation: Dinner Date is a go,” Nat replied, her voice filled with sarcasm.

Malaki had to restrain herself from chuckling at that. As it was, Tony raised an eyebrow at her smirk. She grinned back at him and was about to comment on his sleuthing and deduction abilities when three motorcycles pulled up to the gas pump next to them. Clint was outside, supposedly washing the windows and Natasha was still in the front seat. 

The first to remove his helmet was a slender young black man, who Malaki identified as Sam Wilson, aka Falcon. The big guy in the middle was obviously Steve Rogers, confirmed when he removed his helmet and shook out his blond hair. The third rider was a mystery, not helped much by him removing his helmet. Long brown hair held back in a ponytail flopped free, but his eyes were hidden by dark lenses and his long sleeved shirt and gloves hid any other identifying features. 

Next to her, Tony gasped and started shaking, his hand trembling in hers. She could see him staring out the window at the group of riders, his right hand on his chest as his breathing became shallow and rapid. 

“Put your head between your knees, Tony,” she ordered him, realizing he was having a panic attack. She tried to free her right hand from his left one, only to find that he was gripping it too tightly for her to get it loose. With her left hand she reached up and gently cupped the back of his head to push it down between his knees as she’d told him to. He flinched at first then allowed her to guide him down, still gripping her hand tight enough to make it tingle. 

Natalie turned back to face her, the window descending from between them. “Is he alright? What happened?”

“Something induced a panic attack,” Malaki replied tersely, catching her eye and motioning with her head toward the riders. When she frowned, Malaki raised her free hand and showed her three fingers, then pointed to the group again, scowling at her. A look of understanding crossed Natalie’s face and she exited the car.

“Don’t worry, Tony. I’ll get you something to drink. Just relax,” she said as she left. 

Malaki heard the door to the driver’s side open and Clint slide into the front seat, behind her, his hand sliding up to the top of the seat, something hidden in his grip. She didn’t blame him. She’d have done the same in his position. Not concerned about him, but rather about Tony at the moment, she let him stand watch while she started monitoring Tony’s vitals.

She touched the device on her necklace again, this time drawing out a small cord that split into two points as she pulled on it. These she stuck at the base of Tony’s neck, activating them with a touch to begin reading his system, scanning for anything more than panic induced tremors and beginning stimulation of his hypothalamus. Identifying certain points along his spine, she began pressing them, two at a time, to trigger his body’s natural ability to reduce the stress he was feeling right now. 

While she was doing this, she was also watching Natalie approach and speak with the riders, especially Rogers. The third one, the unknown factor, seemed chagrined after she spoke and replaced his helmet almost immediately. After Natalie walked into the store, the other two also replaced their helmets and started up their bikes, taking off as soon as Natalie was inside. 

Relieved at that response, Malaki began talking to Tony. “It’s alright now, Tony, you’re safe here. Your friends are here.” The Iron Man suit landed next to the car, taking up an alert posture next to his side of the car. Malaki grinned a bit. “Your suit is here now too. You’re safe. Breath now.” She repeated herself a couple of times before he started to relax, still hunched over and holding her hand in a deathgrip, but breathing easier.

“What’re the electrodes for?” Clint’s question came as he poked her shoulder with whatever he was holding in his hand. 

“Not electrodes, but they are stimulating his brain to produce more endorphins to help him relax and stop the attack.” Malaki tossed the quick explanation back over her shoulder, her left hand now stroking and smoothing Tony’s hair at the base of his skull, using her touch to help calm him down. Suddenly the back of her right hand that he was gripping so tightly was warmed as he placed a kiss there, then held it against his lips, sending shivers up her arm and down her spine. His breath tickled the sensitive skin there as he breathed slowly in and out of his nostrils, then warmed her hand again as he took a deep breath and released it from his mouth. 

 

Tony had been fine, holding Malaki’s hand captive, wondering why she was smirking, then he’d looked out the window at the sound of motorcycles pulling up to the pump next to them. He’d recognized two of the riders almost immediately, aided by the suit’s monitoring systems showing in his lenses. The third one was also quickly identified, but as a threat. James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes, aka the Winter Soldier, was last known to have been in stasis in Wakanda, but here he was, awake and with a new arm attached. 

He felt his chest constrict, sounds became hollow and distant, his vision shrinking down to a tunnel-view of that man, standing there. Malaki’s voice came to him, telling him to do something. Her tone was vibrant in his mind, firm and authoritative, but he couldn’t move. The only thing he could feel was her hand in his and he clung to it, feeling like he was drowning and her hand was his lifeline. 

Then a hand was on the back of his neck, gently pulling him down. He flinched at first, not wanting to go under and her face appeared in his tunnel vision, worried and speaking, though no sound registered on his brain. Nat’s voice sounded to his right as he felt the tug on his neck again. This time he registered it as being Malaki’s free hand, the one he wasn’t hanging onto for dear life. He allowed her to pull him over this time, until his head was down between his knees and he could breath again. Drawing in breath after breath, the scent of fresh laundry drying in the sun mingled with the smell of her hand, sweet and spicy and a bit sweaty now that he was holding it in his. 

He closed his eyes and tried to imagine being out in the sun, lying on a blanket that smelled of laundry soap and sunshine and her...and it worked. He could feel himself starting to breath easier, his chest loosened up and sounds became real again. Clint’s voice came to him through the fog, concern ringing like a bell in his tone. Electrodes? What? These thoughts popped up and then he could feel sensation trickling down his spine like cool water and rising into his head to burst with tingles of warmth. Relaxing further, he found her hand with his lips and planted a soft kiss on the back of it, wanting to let her know he was recovering, thanks to her. 

The shiver that ran up her arm, leaving goosebumps behind, made him smile as he held his lips against her warm skin, breathing her in again and again until he felt like himself once more. The distant buzz of motorcycle motors fading away was the last thing he needed to fully recover. Taking in one last deep breath, he released it over her hand and sat up.

Natasha was there, handing him a cold drink, concern on her face and in her voice. “Here, Tony, drink this. Are you okay now?”

He didn’t even look to see what she had handed him, only that it was open and cold. Chugging it down, head tilted back, he could feel the ‘electrodes’ as Clint had called them, still clinging to the skin at the juncture of his neck and shoulders. He finished his drink and reached for them, only to have his hand intercepted by Malaki’s pulling from his to tug them free and make them disappear back into the device on her necklace. 

“I was right, wasn’t I?” he said softly, watching her face, closer to his now than it ever has been, her eyes like emeralds...no, lighter, like peridots with flakes of gold shining in their depths. “About your necklace. It’s how you were jamming my systems, how you blocked my scans. Until now.”

She smiled at him and held up her hand, drawing his attention to the ring there on her middle finger. The stone there looked like clear jade then opaque emerald, changing color like no stone he’d ever seen. “Not just my necklace, but yeah, that’s the main piece.” Her brow furrowed as she searched his face, looking for something, he wasn’t sure what. “Back to yourself now?” she asked.

Tony realized Clint and Nat were both watching him as well from the front seat of the car. He smiled sheepishly, embarrassed that they’d both seen him freaking out like this. “Sorry about that. Didn’t mean to cause such a fuss,” he said, trying to sound nonchalant. Both of them made faces at him and Natasha waved her hand at him, a gruff hmph coming from her as she turned around to face forward, pointedly avoiding Malaki’s gaze. 

Malaki gave Tony a wry smile and without looking at Clint, spoke to him. “You can sheath the knife now, Mr. Barton.” 

Tony caught Clint’s gaze and was amused to see him blush at the remark and remove his hand from the back of the seat. He raised his now empty hand back up over the seat. “Hi, I’m Clint.”

Malaki turned to face Clint and took his hand. “Hello, Clint. Name’s Malaki. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Clint gave her one of his happy grins. “Thanks for helping out there. I know Tony probably won’t say it, but I’m sure he’s grateful as well.” Before Tony could retort, he turned back around and got settled behind the wheel, starting up the car again. “Let’s get you two to your dinner now.”


	6. Food

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Malaki make it to the restaurant with Nat and Clint in tow and the other guys waiting in the shadows. Malaki calls on someone unexpected to verify her identity. Nat still ain't buying it.

The restaurant they ended up at was one that had finished up its normal evening seating, leaving them the only ones there, thanks to Tony’s pull. The chef was ecstatic to be cooking for them and promised to give them a treat, bringing a smile to everyone’s faces with his enthusiasm. Tony had insisted that Clint and Nat join them, much to Natasha’s annoyance. She would have preferred sitting across the street with Steve and Sam, and yes, even Bucky, to having to behave in a civilized manner to this strange woman. Tony insisted, however, and with Clint acting eager to have her there, she couldn’t find it in her to refuse without making him upset. 

Natasha was having a hard time believing that the woman, she refused to say her name, had really done anything other than make it look like she had helped Tony during his episode on the way here. She laid the blame for the episode directly at the stranger’s leather clad feet. If she hadn’t convinced Tony to take her to dinner, none of this would have happened. Of course, Steve shouldn’t have brought Bucky along, whispered her conscience, which she quickly squelched. 

Thinking about it, she realized she was looking at the issue like an Avenger, when she could be looking at it another way altogether. In her past she had many experiences in dealing with people that she didn’t like and that she didn’t trust. From that point of view, it was easy to decide on how she would handle this situation. If Tony wouldn’t do what needed to be done to protect himself, she would take matters into her own hands. 

 

Malaki scanned the restaurant as they were seated, locating the exits and other areas off the central dining room, noting that everyone in the party did the same thing. That was amusing. She was smiling as they sat down, something that Tony noticed and raised his eyebrows at. Shaking her head slightly, she checked out the view around them. Natalie and Clint had taken the chairs facing the door, leaving her and Tony sitting with their backs exposed. She supposed that meant that the backup squad was across the street or on the roof. Or both. There were a couple of members of the Avengers that she’d heard rumors of, but hadn’t found anything concrete on, new ones that had joined recently and weren’t part of the massive info-dump that had happened a couple of years ago.

She wasn’t too worried. Natalie had stopped glaring at her, something she attributed to the presence of Clint more than anything she had done on her own. Helping Tony get over that anxiety attack had been good, but it wasn’t like she’d saved him from a heart attack or a burning building. It remained to be seen how much Natalie was going to let go and how much she would just put on hold to be used later. 

Leaning back in her chair after the server had poured them all wine and brought out some appetizers to start them off, she looked at Tony. “Well, ask your questions.”

Tony laughed but before he could say anything, Natalie broke in. “I have a question for you. How did you get money to buy clothes and a phone? You say you’re from another dimension, which means you wouldn’t have our currency, so what did you do? Rob someone?”

Malaki smiled, keeping her teeth covered. It seemed Natalie was going for the throat, as she had been pleasant and almost smiling while talking, yet the edges of her tone would have cut glass. “Tony accused me of the same thing when he first approached me,” she replied. Taking a sip of wine, she held the pause out for a long moment, watching Natalie’s reaction. 

Nat waited, taking a sip of wine as well, then another, then set the glass down and met her gaze directly. “If you’re ashamed to admit it, then you probably shouldn’t have done it,” she quipped. 

She looked exasperated, Malaki thought, glancing over at Clint and Tony. Clint nodded his head in agreement and Tony just raised his eyebrows at them, waiting for the answer, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned back in his chair.

“As this is not my first time out of the chute, to use a common Earth term,” Malaki drawled in her best Southern accent, “I have ways and means to generate money and credit that I can use almost immediately to establish myself in just about any culture and environment I might find myself in.” She knew it was a non-answer, but wanted to see how far Natalie would take it. 

“You stole it!” Nat crowed. She turned to the guys and repeated herself. “She stole it! You heard her.” 

Clint looked skeptical and Tony laughed outright. “Not exactly, Nat. Calm down and listen to what she said. She generated money and credit,” Clint said, sounding extra-patient, like he was talking to one of his kids. 

“Then you faked it.” Nat didn’t want to give up just yet and definitely wasn’t about to let them continue to make excuses for the elusive answer given. 

Malaki smiled again. “No, I found it. Or my programs found it for me. There’s a lot of free money out there, especially with the way your internet systems are set up.”

Tony’s interest perked up with this explanation. “Do go on,” he cajoled her, leaning forward now, resting his arms on the table. 

She had the grace to look humble. “The programs aren’t mine, per se. I didn’t write them, but those who did are brilliant at what they can make them do. I just started small and worked my way up, adding more power to my systems until I was able to slice into places...well, let’s just say the money is one of many things that I found.” Her wry smile came and went so quickly, he almost didn’t see it. 

“Well, I for one would be very interested in taking a look at these programs,” Tony scratched his chin as he spoke, looking sternly at Nat. She gave him one of her wide-eyed innocent looks, proving that she was up to something. Malaki’s throaty chuckle drew his attention away from Nat, but not before she gave him a glare that was swiftly replaced by her pleasant look once more.

“Oh, I don’t have them with me, Tony. But I’d be glad to arrange a demonstration some time in the near future.” Malaki smiled and popped one of the appetizers into her mouth, chewing and making sounds indicating how tasty it was. 

Tony decided it was time for a change of subject. “You mentioned something in one of our earlier conversations that I would like some clarification on, if you don’t mind.” He rubbed his hands together, framing the question in his mind. At her nod and motion to proceed, his gaze came up to catch hers. “You mentioned something about traveling the galaxy. Does your civilization have FTL travel, then?”

Malaki made a face. “I’m not a scientist, Tony. Yes, we do have FTL but for longer distances, we have Gates that shorten the distance and reduce fuel usage. It’s complicated and I have more information that I can share with you but again, it’s not with me.” She shrugged and ate another piece of the appetizer. 

“What are you then, if you’re traveling dimensions and have access to shady programs as well as technology?” Clint gave her a level look, folding his hands on the table and waiting for her reply. 

Malaki grinned. She liked him. He was the pragmatic type of guy who did what he did because he was good at it and had no pretensions or delusions of grandeur. “I’m an explorer, an adventurer. I’ve also been trained in information gathering, several forms of fighting and piloting air and spacecraft, and...” she paused in her spiel, not sure if she should reveal the rest of her talents or the fact that she usually ended up places for reasons that were not always clear to her when she traveled the dimensions. 

“And?” Clint prompted her, his hazel-green eyes locked on her, putting her on the spot with their steady gaze. 

“I go places that call me, that I feel summoned to. It’s usually because something is going to happen and I’m needed there, or feel that I can make a difference.” Malaki pulled on her bangs, hiding her face from them. She didn’t like talking about her special abilities as it always seemed to get her in trouble. 

Tony felt his gut churn when Malaki mentioned something happening, something that might have called to her. The familiar feeling of impending doom was rising up inside him again and as much as he fought it, he was certain there was no stopping it. He had to know more though and now he had someone he could question about it. “What do you mean, going to happen?”

Malaki resisted groaning when he asked his question. She’d known he was one of the main reasons she was here from the moment she’d met him. Now, after meeting Clint and Natalie, she was sure they would be involved as well. More specific details had yet to be revealed or discovered, but she was in it too deep to stop now, she told herself. 

Looking at each of them in turn, she told them more. “I have been called many things in my travels and by many people. Wildcard, Catalyst, these names are descriptions of me, of what draws me to a place. I go where change is coming, where chaos happens. Sometimes, I fight as a warrior, other times as an agent of dissention. There is very little I haven’t done or seen in my many years of existence. I have died many times and yet I always come back and do it again. I don’t know why I am here exactly, but there will come a time for me and I hope I can be of help when it happens.”

The silence around the table was deafening as the three Avengers took in what she had stated, their faces showing various stages of belief. Natalie’s disbelief was evident in the scoff she let out, rolling her eyes and tossing her hair then turning away from them all as if to dismiss everything. Clint was looking at his hands, contemplating something but not showing much either way. Tony was looking at her with open skepticism, his arms back over his chest as he leaned back in his chair.

“Have you been talking to Thor recently?” he asked, a teasing smile playing around his lips. 

At the mention of the Asgardian Thunder God’s name, Malaki felt a bloom of hope in her chest. Certainly he would vouch for her if he was friends with these people. “No,” she said, leaning forward eagerly, “is he around? I haven’t spoken to him in a very long time. I wasn’t aware you knew him.”

The smile disappeared from Tony’s face and his chair legs hit the floor with a loud thump. Clint looked up and laughed while Nat’s head jerked around as she stared at Malaki, her attention caught now. 

“Are you kidding me?” Nat’s voice was harsh in the empty room. Before she could say more, or anyone else say something, the chef and his assistant were following the server out of the kitchen with their food and everyone was suddenly smiling and tasting the food and joking with each other. Several minutes later, they were alone again, food spread out on the table, the smell teasing their noses and making their mouths water. 

Clint was the first to break the silence, laughing out loud and shaking his head. “So you're a dimension-hopping, mystical super agent who is citing Thor, Norse God of Thunder as a character reference? 

Malaki giggled. “When you put it like that, it does sound rather far-fetched, doesn't it?”

“I think you’re full of shit,” Natasha sneered, picking up her fork and stabbing at a piece of fish on her plate, then stuffing it in her mouth after her statement. 

Tony and Clint both began protesting this blatant difference of opinion, only for Malaki to hold up her hands, shushing them while watching Natasha intently. “Why? Because I haven’t done anything to prove that I’m really different? What makes you feel that I’m not being truthful with you? Tell me, Natasha,” She emphasized Natasha’s real name, not the one she’d been using, the one that Nat had introduced herself as, “what reason I have for lying to you.”

Natasha flushed at the call-out but maintained her arrogant sneer, her eyes fierce and sparking with fiery emotion. “You’re using that anomaly as a way to get in with Tony. Maybe you are an agent. Working for who, it’s unclear yet, but that’s to your advantage.” She picked up her glass of wine and took a sip. “What better way to get us to trust you, to take you into our inner circle, than claim to be something that can’t be proven.”

Clint and Tony were both nodding now, Natasha’s statement sounding logical and reasonable enough to raise questions that needed answering. Malaki gave Tony a slight smile, her gaze grim now. “I see your point. I concede that you do need proof. Ask Thor to come and vouch for me, then. If you can trust him, then you can trust his opinion, correct?”

Tony snorted softly and shook his head, his gaze remorseful. “Thor hasn’t been among us for several months now. The last we saw of him was after Sokovia.” Bitterness laced his voice at the admission.

A sharp, short burst of laughter escaped from Natasha. “Guess that blows your cover.”

“Not at all,” Malaki said, sounding hopeful. “All I need to do then is summon him here, he can then give you his seal of approval for me, then we can move on.” 

“Hah!” Clint’s laugh burst from him, unexpected in its intensity. “You make it sound so easy. Thor comes and goes as he pleases. We can’t just text him a message asking him to pop round and tell us you’re good to go.” At the raise of Malaki’s eyebrows over her steady green-eyed gaze, he narrowed his eyes and looked uneasy. “Can you?”

Tony finished the food in his mouth, savoring the taste of both the entree and the conversation so far. “But how do you know that our Thor will know you? I mean, it’s to your advantage that he isn’t here. That way he can’t contradict what you’re saying and again, we have to take you at face value.” A thrill shot up his spine at the look Malaki gave him, one of amused disdain and surprise that he would side with Natasha. 

“You haven’t even proven that you’re not human yet,” Natasha’s laugh after this statement was not one of amusement.


	7. for Thought

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Malaki's summoning spell is a success. Thor arrives and is grateful to see Malaki, much to Nat's disappointment.

With a deep sigh, Malaki stood and began clearing dishes and items from the center of the table, setting the items on a nearby table and pushing the food into a rough circle. Her look of determination quieted the protests that Clint and Tony both made while Natasha simply sat back and watched. She saw Tony touch the frame of his glasses, most likely recording her actions, and allowed a tight, little smile to reach her lips as she removed the lid of the salt shaker and dumped a generous portion of it into her left hand. 

She spoke softly, but clearly as she poured it on the table within the circle of food, completing a round and then drawing lines across the circle until she had created a seven point star. “The thing is, your reasoning is flawed. Not because you aren’t being logical, but because you don’t have full knowledge of the subject. Your Thor is the same as the Thor I know, because there is only one. He is a singular being, as are all the Aesir, because their realm is one of only a few realms that are singular in nature. Do you understand?”

She looked directly at Tony when she asked the question. The intensity of his gaze as he watched her suggested that he did indeed understand what she was saying. With a more relaxed grin, she continued with her actions. Taking a glass of wine, she gulped a mouthful, then spit it back into the glass and poured the libation over the salt star in a complicated knot pattern, chanting under her breath as she did so. Next she took one of the candles from the items on the other table and set it in the center of the summoning circle she had created. She stepped back and looked at it, then placed two more candles in the center next to the first. Finally, she grabbed one of the steak knives and sliced it across her palm, wincing a bit as the blade bit into her flesh, then making a loose fist to hold the blood in until she was ready to spill it. 

Not surprisingly, the three Avengers around the table flinched a bit but did nothing more, except Clint. He raised his hand and started to say something until Malaki caught his gaze. Shutting his mouth, he sat back in his chair, folding his arms over him chest in a defensive posture. Malaki grinned again.

“I haven’t done one of these in a long time. Sure hope it works to get Thor’s attention and not something else. I’d hate to pull in a bogie from Muspelheim or something, so if y’all could focus on Thor in your thoughts, that would be appreciated.” She exaggerated her Southern drawl, as that accent seemed to put people at ease no matter what was being said. 

With that, she began her chant again, louder this time, as she dripped the blood from her palm onto the salt and wine. 

“Ég kalla forn, sem ég óska eftir að tala, Þór voldugi Guð þrumur. Ég kalla þig með kerti hvítu og lyfta reykur heimili mitt, með blóði og vín hátíð minn, með salti þessarar jarðar, Miðgarði. Komið til mín, spyr ég þig, og náð mér með nærveru þinni.”

[I call the ancient of whom I wish to speak, Thor the Mighty, God of Thunder. I summon you with the candle white and lifting smoke to my home, with the blood and wine of my feast, with the salt of this earth, Midgard. Come to me, I ask of thee, and grace me with thy presence.]

Tony watched her dripping blood onto the tabletop, hit by the smell of cinnamon and cloves mixed with linen and sunshine, much like what he’d smelled holding her hand against his face during his panic attack. It was interesting that he didn’t disbelieve her when she said she was summoning Thor. 

The blood formed patterns that appeared to be Norse runes laid over the knot pattern and the - his brain searched for a term to describe a pentacle with seven points; would that be a septacle, or a septagram? He liked septagram, it had a better ring to it. Her chant was translating into a basic summoning spoken in Icelandic, which he supposed was close enough to Old Norse to be effective. The only thing missing from the whole “spell” was fire, making him wonder what she was going to do for that. Lighting the candles seemed the obvious action, but he was predicting something more...dramatic.

Sure enough, once she finished the chant and the blood runes, she held up her hand over the candles, though no blood dripped from it now. He nodded. Healing factor, to be expected, he thought. She looked like she was focusing more now, her eyes closed and brow furrowed, her open hand palm down over the candles. Suddenly a flash burst from them as they ignited and she started chanting again, repeating her words for the third time. 

The flames from the three candles grew brighter, changing from their normal yellow glow to blue and then white, smoke rising from the wax as the fire consumed it more rapidly than normal. As she reached the end of the chant, the flames flared and then flashed once again, expanding to reach to the outer edge of the circle, touching the edges of the dishes of food just enough to char them as well as cover the septagram.

Tony flinched and noticed that Clint and Natasha both did as well. When the light went back to normal and he had blinked a few times, he noticed that everything in the center of the table was gone without a trace. He looked over at Malaki, who released a deep sigh and sat down, looking out of breath. He looked around the room, wondering what was supposed to be happening. 

“What now?” Clint voiced the question on Tony’s mind. 

Malaki blinked a couple of times, like she was just waking up, and looked around at them, then scooted back up to the table and pulled her plate back to her. “Now we wait for the results.”

“You mean it’s not immediate?” Natasha’s sarcasm bit into the quiet of the room. 

“This isn’t like summoning a demon,” Malaki replied with a snort of laughter. “Thor, or any of the Gods that might be summoned, can decide if they want to respond or not. They can make the summoner wait to see if they are serious. It’s all very subjective with divine beings and ancient ones.” She shrugged. “No need to let our dinner go to waste while we wait for him.”

“You still haven’t proved - “ Natasha began her accusation again, only to be interrupted by the extremely loud sizzle and crackle of electricity blasting down through the roof of the building to the middle of the room, pushing the tables and chairs there back away from the area. Lightning danced up and down between the ceiling and floor, burning an elaborate pattern into the wooden planks of the floor and lighting up the area until it was too bright to look at. 

Exclamations of surprise and shock came from the kitchen area, then quieted as the staff retreated from the doorway. Natasha, Tony and Clint were all on their feet in readiness, leaving Malaki sitting in her chair, smiling in anticipation. 

As the light faded and the electricity cleared away, Thor was revealed to be standing there, his eyes glowing blue-white and his hammer held at the ready, lightning flying from it in short arcs that sparked and cracked in the ozone-charged air. “Who summons me here? Who dares to request my presence?” his voice boomed out over them, rattling the glassware and the windows. 

Now Malaki stood, casually rising to her feet and walking around the end of the table. As she passed by Natasha, she muttered, “That was fast.”

Stopping several feet from the patterned circle now imprinted on the wooden floor of the restaurant, she knelt on one knee and spread her arms wide, bowing her head. “It is I, Malaki Tybournne, of the House of Tybournne, that has requested you to grace us with thy presence, O Mighty Thor!” she intoned, her voice ringing out loud and clear. She rose to her feet and looked poised to take action as she waited for his response. 

Thor looked at her, his eyes still glowing, electricity shedding from him like raindrops in a thunderstorm. Within seconds, the glow around him faded and his eyes returned to their normal bright blue state, his face taking on the look of someone greeting an old friend. “Malaki!” he shouted, flinging his arms wide and charging toward her, scooping her up in a bear hug as he reached her and swinging her around and around, laughing joyously.

Tony felt his gut clench and the muscles of his jaw tighten as he swallowed down some unexpected emotion that rose up unbidden, watching Thor wrap his arms around Malaki. He looked down at the table, chiding himself for thinking that this would be any different from other times when women around him got distracted by the other guys on his team. What did he have to offer besides good looks and money, whispered that annoying voice in his mind.

Malaki felt her ribs creak under Thor’s tight squeeze, making her laugh and gasp for air. He had his face tucked up under her chin and seemed to be breathing deeply as he stopped spinning and his laughter ceased. Her arms around his neck weren’t tight as he was holding all of her weight in his grip, but she hugged him tightly anyways. He felt distraught to her, desperately glad to be holding her and to be here. She nudged him and kissed his forehead. “Are you alright?” she murmured in his language.

He loosened his grasp on her, letting her slide down to rest her feet on the floor once more and looked down into her eyes, his own fierce blue ones serious and pained. “I am now, thanks to you. You’ve saved me, Malaki.” Before she could question him further, he looked up and saw the others at the table, watching them. A broad smile spread across his face.

“Behold, my friends, the Avengers!” His tone was jovial and bright as he strode over to the table, Malaki in tow. As he reached the table, Thor spread his arms wide to include everyone around it. 

“Greetings, friends! I see you’ve saved me some food from your feast!” Grasping Clint’s hand and then Tony’s, he greeted them, then turned to Natasha. “Ah my lovely Natasha. It is wonderful to see that you continue to get more beautiful with every passing day. Come, give me a hug!” He didn’t wait for her to come to him, striding to her side and picking her up before she could move and giving her a spin around, then setting her lightly on her feet again. Grabbing a chair from the nearby table he straddled it and began piling food from the other plates onto the one he pulled from Malaki’s place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The spell is crafted from a basic summoning spell for spirits. I used this website for inspiration: [The Pagan's Path](http://www.paganspath.com/magik/index.htm)


	8. Lightning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner gets finished without much more trouble. At the end of their dinner, everyone heads out, but not necessarily home. Tony and Malaki get close and share a moment. Things get a little stranger.

Malaki felt torn between crowing over Thor’s obvious acceptance of her as proof to the others that she was being truthful and concern over his statement and reaction. After reaching her seat again and watching him act like nothing was wrong, she opted to not bring it up for now. Time enough for that later, when they could discuss it alone. Smiling, she glanced over at Tony, only to catch him lost in thought as he stared past Nat’s shoulder. Clint and Nat were both chatting with Thor as he assured them that he really did know Malaki and then began regaling them with some tale about an adventure they had been on together. 

Malaki blinked rapidly, triggering her system to activate a subroutine that acted similar to the text message service of her phone and used it to contact Tony’s phone. Using minute motions of her fingers, she sent him a text. “Is Thor always this talkative around you guys or do you think there might be something wrong?”

Tony felt his phone buzz and pulled it from his pocket, wondering if Pepper was trying to contact him. He had it set for only priority contacts to actually buzz, the rest could wait for his convenience. To his surprise, the message was not attached to a number, instead it was showing Malaki as the sender. Looking over at her, he caught her smiling at him and then she gave him a wink. He sent a message back. “How are you viewing this? You don’t have a screen like my glasses.”

Thinking about it for a quick moment, he sent another message. “You have lenses in, don’t you? Projecting directly onto your optic nerve! That’s clever! Look at me, I want to see if it shows.” He leaned over to her and waited for her to look at him. When she leaned toward him and opened her eyes wide, she was smiling even wider. Checking the irises of her eyes, he noticed blue lights, a multitude of them, rapidly flashing across the clear black space there. Blinking to adjust his focus, he found himself gazing into her eyes as a whole, enraptured by their depth of color and intelligence. 

“Methinks Stark has fallen into waters deeper than he can tread, Barton.” Thor’s loud comment broke Tony’s concentration, as well as causing Malaki to blush and duck her head before she turned away and razzed Thor about it. Tony felt a bit flushed himself and blamed it on the wine and food, pointedly ignoring Natasha’s glare and Clint’s good-natured ribbing. 

They finished the food and thanked the chef and owners of the restaurant, with Thor and Malaki both apologizing profusely for the damage they had caused to the floor and ceiling of the place, which both now bore evidence of the summoning permanently burned into the wood. The owners were not too dismayed, vowing to make it part of their restaurant’s attraction and that it would give them extra pull for tourists and locals alike. As they gathered at the front door and exited the place, Tony turned to Malaki.

“Will you be joining us back at the Avengers’ base then, Malaki?” When she returned his look, he couldn’t help but hope his eyes were telling her to say yes. She looked like she was about to, then glanced over at Thor, who was joking around with Clint and Nat. She stepped up close to Tony and laid her hand on his arm. 

“Thank you, Tony. I really would like to come see your place, but not tonight. I think I need to take Thor to my place and find out what is bothering him. When he first greeted me, he said -” Her softly spoken words were interrupted by Thor shouting out at them.

“Stark! Let us continue our revelry at your place. You still have the tower, yes? That would be a great place to go!” 

Tony grimaced and looked at Malaki to find her making the same face. They burst out into laughter, then suddenly stopped. 

“No, Thor,” Malaki tossed back over her shoulder, her eyes locked on Tony, “we’ll be heading back to my place tonight. Tony needs to get some sleep.” Smiling as she said this, she stepped closer to him and slipped her arms around his waist, tilting her head up to his gaze. 

“Thank you for dinner, Tony.” Her eyes were shining in the glow of the city lights, the warmth of her arms around him giving him a very secure and happy feeling in the pit of his stomach. She looked like she wanted him to kiss her, the way her lips were barely parted and softly smiling. He didn’t want to disappoint her. Dipping his head down, his lips met hers, warm and moist. 

Deep inside, he felt a quaking in his inner self, electrifying him as her lips met his. His hands seemed to move of their own volition, sliding up her back to brace her shoulders and cup the back of her head as he moved to capture more of her mouth with his. She responded to this by running the tip of her tongue along the inner edge of his lips, tasting him, before teasing him again and again until he moved in, capturing it with his own. A groan escaped his throat and she pulled him tighter against her, her warmth burning him now from his knees to his shoulders, everywhere they met feeling like they were melting together. 

Her hand slide up from his waist across his chest to grab at the back of his neck, deepening the kiss even more. Finally he ran out of breath and had to release her mouth, his own sucking in a lungful of breath. Her gaze caught his, searching his soul, it felt like, piercing him with the light burning in her eyes. He felt laid bare, every part of him open for her to see. Fear flashed through him and he broke away from her gaze, looking away, searching for something else to focus on. 

Malaki felt Tony go from warm and open to close and guarded as his gaze broke away from hers. His eyes had been so open, his soul bare before her, that it had seemed as though he was allowing her to view the most vulnerable part of him, his very core. Then the fear had come, as it always did when people haven’t been able to trust anyone with everything about them. She understood that. There were only a handful of people that she trusted with her secrets and only one that knew them all. 

This kiss was something special though. It had shot through her, burning to her core. In all her life, long though it had been, with all the lovers she had known, only a handful had ever affected her like that. She knew definitely now that he was the reason she was here. Whatever may happen between them, she was here to protect him, to help him through it. 

Then Thor was behind her, his hand on her shoulder. “If Stark is finished with you for now, Malaki, then we should be on our way. Where are you staying?”

Malaki looked up at Thor to find his gaze was holding Tony’s and the two were locked in a contest of wills, it seemed. She laid her hand on his where he was holding Mjolnir, getting his attention. “Very well. I’m in Richmond right now.” Turning back to Tony, she gave him a shy smile. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Tony.”

At his nod, she turned back to Thor and held out her free arm. He scooped her up, holding her around her waist. Whirling his hammer, he turned and looked over her head at Tony. Malaki looked up in time to see a pleased smile on his face before they took off up into the aether, propelled by the hammer’s mystical force. 

Tony wondered why Thor was looking at him like that. He’d been the one kissing Malaki, not Thor. Maybe the God of Thunder was jealous, chuckled that voice in the back of his head. Thinking of that kiss made him feel warm and gooey inside once again. He stood there lost in thought until Nat bumped his arm, laughing at him.

“Wow, Tony, did she cast a spell on you? Or are you sleeping on your feet?” When he looked up, she tossed her head towards the car waiting at the curb. “Come on. Clint’s brought the car up. Let’s get you home. You really need to sleep.”

He laughed, still amused that Nat seemed very much against Malaki, even though she had brought Thor to vouch for her, even though it was obvious he found her attractive. Maybe she’s jealous, murmured the voice in his head. Tony partially agreed, but that wouldn’t explain her reaction on the plane. His thoughts remained muddled, making him decide that maybe sleep was a good idea tonight. He just hoped his brain would let him. 

As Tony sank down into the back seat of his car, Clint leaned over the back of the front seat and hollered at Nat. “You coming with us, Nat?” Tony looked around to find her still standing on the sidewalk, tense and frowning. 

“No, I think I’ll check in with our backup and maybe take a trip down the coast.” She tossed her hair out of her face and leaned down to wave at them. “Get Tony home so he can get some sleep and I’ll report back in the morning.” With that, she shut the door to the car and walked across the quiet street, where she was quickly lost in the night. 

Tony found himself with his head laid back against the seat, chuckling softly. 

Clint smiled and turned to put the car in gear. “Yes, boss. Get the boss home. Drive the boss from the airport. Take the boss to dinner. I think I liked being an active member of the team better than being retired.” When Tony didn’t respond, he looked in the rearview mirror and saw that he’d fallen asleep with his head leaned back and a smile on his face.


	9. Strikes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha meets up with the rest of the team. They discuss Malaki and what to do about her. Nat finally gets convincing evidence of her identity, or the lack thereof.

Down the alley across the street from the restaurant, Nat met up with Steve, Sam, and Bucky, all of them in various states of leaning or sitting on boxes, waiting for her. She sauntered up to them, a wicked little smile playing across her lips. “Hey guys, anyone here know where a girl can find a good time?”

Steve groaned and Bucky didn’t say anything, still unsure how to act around her. Sam grinned. “Depends on what your definition of a good time is, Natasha.” He stood and made like he was dancing, to the laughter of Steve and Nat.

“More like taking a ride down the coast,” Nat replied, still sporting that wicked grin. “All the way to Richmond, Virginia if you’re up to it.” 

The guys all groaned. Steve spoke up first. “That’s what, 340 miles? About six hours on the freeway.” He let out a deep sigh. “We could do it if we have to. Is this a request from Tony?”

Nat’s grin twisted into a snarl. “No actually, my request.” She brought up a slender unit, like a cross between a smartphone and a TV remote and pushed a button on it. Behind her in the quiet street, a Quinjet landed and opened its tail, showing Wanda and Vision waiting for them in the craft. “And I brought our ride along already. Load up your bikes if you want to come along.” Without waiting to see if they were following her, she turned and walked up into the aircraft.

Steve and the others followed her out of the alley, then went around the corner of the building and retrieved their motorcycles and loaded them up into the Quinjet. As they rose into the night sky, Steve walked up behind Natasha and place a hand on her shoulder. Surprise ran through him as he felt her trembling underneath his touch. “Nat, what is going on? Was that Thor that came out of the building with you guys earlier?”

“Yes, it was.” Nat halfway turned toward him, then turned back away, facing out to look into the night as they flew south. “I’m not sure what’s happening but I’m worried about Tony.”

Steve braced himself, well aware that Nat could skew the facts to fit her agenda, but willing to give her the benefit of the doubt after all they had been through and all she had risked for him. “Tell me everything, Nat, and we’ll do what we can to help.”

A few minutes later everyone but Vision, who was in the cockpit monitoring their flight path, was sitting in a loose circle inside the Quinjet’s main cabin, discussing everything Nat had told them, from the time Tony had reported back after meeting the strange woman in the restaurant all the way up to her departure with Thor into the night sky. 

Steve looked at Nat, who pulled out her phone. “Here is the address of the restaurant where she and Tony met.” She flashed it over to the map system of the Quinjet and expanded it for everyone to see. “According to company records, she then took a cab from there and was dropped off here, at this Best Buy near downtown. Their records indicate a large delivery of computers and accessories around the same day as several furniture trucks made deliveries, all to the same building.” She enlarged the map once again and smiled grimly, jabbing at a point with her finger. The map left a large red target on the building Natasha had poked. 

“Wait, what?” Sam broke in, a confused look on his face. “How was she able to get these things that quickly? If she just arrived here like she is claiming, how would she have the time to set everything up? I mean, even with a lot of money, that still takes time.”

“And credit, for that matter,” mused Steve. He knew all too well the trouble of trying to establish credit in the modern world.

“Exactly,” stated Nat, a fierce scowl on her face. 

Vision spoke up from the cockpit, his well-modulated voice carrying easily over their chatter. “According to the timeline of events, she could have been present at the anomaly for several hours before leaving. That would have given her time to set up credentials, rent an apartment, establish a bank account and apply for credit with those stores before leaving the scene.”

When he realized everyone was staring at him, their lack of amusement clear in their expressions, he shrugged his shoulders. “Sorry, I was merely pointing out facts.” 

Everyone groaned or shook their heads, turning back to the map. Natasha thought about it for a moment, then smiled. “That’s it! You’re brilliant, Vizh!” She pulled out the keyboard and started typing up a storm, bringing up several pages of data in short order. “There!” she exclaimed, pointing at the screen. “That’s everything she did on her first day in Virginia.” 

Reading over the large amount of information on the screen, Steve saw that the identity that had come up had been established several years ago, with credit history and bank accounts, purchases on credit cards and even driver’s license all cohesively tied together to look like it was part of a perfectly normal life. There were even photographs from social media sites that showed the face of the woman they were hunting for. He wondered what they were missing. It was all a bit too neat and tidy for his liking. “Have you ran her information against your database at HQ?” he asked Nat.

She looked a bit perplexed. “Not yet, why? Everything here comes from the databases they were created from. Social security number checks out, driver’s license checks out. Even her school had records of her graduating. If I didn’t know better, I’d say they were all real and authentic.” 

“But she just picked up her life and relocated it to Richmond, why?” Bucky spoke up now. Stepping forward he pointed to the documents on the screen. “According to this, she had a great job, good place to live, everything. Why pack up and move to Richmond? There’s nothing there for her.”

“Maybe someone broke her heart,” Natasha quipped, only half-joking. 

Sam shook his head. “Her social media doesn’t show anything like that happened. She was just in…” he looked over the screen closest to him, shuffling the information there until he found what he was looking for, “Atlanta, Georgia until four days ago. Who just picks up and moves into a new place, gets a new bank, starts a new life?” 

Natasha found everyone was looking at her, waiting for her to answer. It was obvious now, much as she hated to admit it. This woman, Malaki, was either telling the truth about coming from another dimension. Or she was some kind of spy, working for some unknown country or corporation with an unknown agenda to carry out. Somehow, the second one scared her less than the first. Not answering yet, as that would mean admitting she’d been wrong, she pulled up the extensive database from the Avengers HQ and started a comparison search for the identity that Malaki had assumed for her working persona. 

It didn’t take long for the search to give her an answer. When the data came up on the screen, everyone could see it. The person, the identity that was being used by their mystery woman, had never actually existed in their world.

Wanda made a spitting noise and an odd hand gesture. “Sounds like she is a demon from hell and has our friend under her influence.” 

Sam and Natasha both rolled their eyes at her superstitious remark, drawing a protest from her that it could be possible. Steve and Bucky looked uncomfortable and Bucky made his own gesture. Wanda nodded at him and again at Steve. “You two know, this is entirely possible, right?” 

Vision spoke up, siding with no one. “Statistically speaking, the belief in demons has been around for thousands of years, so it is possible that something like this has happened before and we, or rather, humans, I mean, just haven’t been able to explain it before.”

Steve held up his hands, wanting to stop this before they reached their destination. “Let’s just stick to what we do know right now. Tony picked up the trail of that person at the sight of the anomaly, followed her to Richmond, Virginia. He then left her there for three days, in which time she seems to have set up a base of operations.” Pointing at Nat, he continued. “Nat and Tony met her in Baltimore and flew her up here for dinner, where they are met at the airport by Clint and drive to the restaurant. There this person summons, or seems to summon, Thor to vouch for her identity, then proceeds to leave with him, supposedly back to Richmond while Clint takes Tony home.” He looked at Nat. “Does that mean to the tower or HQ?”

Natasha looked perplexed. “To the tower. That’s where Tony’s been living since he lost his house in California. Why?” 

Steve nodded. “That’s good. It means he won’t have access to his suit immediately, as that goes back to HQ when he isn’t using it. Right?” He looked to Nat, who nodded in confirmation.

“So that means he won’t be around to stop us from doing anything we need to.” Sam spoke up, his quiet observation bringing home the point of what they might be facing. 

“Exactly,” agreed Natasha. 

Wanda was visibly upset, though it wasn’t clear if was at this statement or the idea of facing a demon, causing Vision to begin to protest. Bucky touched Steve on the arm and murmured something under his breath. Vision looked sharply in his direction and Steve held up a hand. 

“We won’t be doing any more than locating and observing, Wanda. No need to fret.” He waited until he had her full attention. “Look in my head. You can see I’m telling the truth.”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” she replied softly. “Demons need to be destroyed, Steve. I don’t know if you can do that when necessary.”

Bucky stepped up. “Don’t worry, Wanda. I’ll be there as well. So will Natasha.” He made this quiet assurance despite the worried look on Steve’s face, pointedly not looking at him as he did so. 

Wanda nodded, placated by this promise. At Vision’s protest, she turned and placed a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry, but there is a difference between protecting life and letting a demon live.”

Vision gave everyone a stern look, full of disapproval. “I hope you remember to observe first and not shoot first.” Leaving the circle, he returned to the cockpit, his gold cloak swirling behind him.

Steve released a deep breath that he just now realized he’d been holding. “Vizh is right. No matter what you think, Wanda, we need to approach this carefully and cautiously. If we go in there guns blazing, and the stranger is as dangerous as Natasha thinks she is, that will only cause her to react violently. We approach peacefully, but,” he nodded at Bucky and Natasha, “prepared to defend ourselves and keep things contained, I think we can succeed in finding out just what we’re facing here.”

Vision’s voice came back to them from the cockpit. “We’ve arrived in Richmond. Where would you like me to let you off, Rogers?”

A second beep drew everyone’s attention as they were exchanging worried looks with each other. On a small window in the far left hand corner of the screen, a notification was flashing, indicating another search that Nat had initiated had finished. She reached out and made the window large enough for everyone to see. It was a search for the facial recognition program that Tony had created out of the remnants of the SHIELD Project Insight program. The results of the search for the real identity or any matches to the photograph of Malaki that Tony had taken the day she had appeared was a complete negative.


	10. Cleansing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor takes Malaki to her apartment. She discovers he has some darkness clinging to him from his recent adventures and helps him cleanse.

Traveling as fast as lightning was something to be experienced, Malaki decided. Not necessarily a good something, but definitely with its own sense of excitement. Thor landed them on the rooftop of a downtown Richmond building, laughing and hooting with pleasure. She released her hold around his neck and slide down to stand on firm ground once again. Her knees felt a bit weak, though that could have been from the alcohol she’d consumed earlier. Looking at him standing there, his cloak drifting slightly in the evening breeze, the smile of a young boy on his face, she remembered why she’d enjoyed his companionship all these years.

“How did you like that?” he asked her, speaking his native tongue now that they were alone, grinning foolishly down at her. 

With those blue eyes practically glowing in the night and that silly grin on his face, how could she resist, she asked herself. So she didn’t. Taking his face between her hands, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him full on the lips. His arms wrapped around her, squeezing her as tightly as he had back in the restaurant as he kissed her back. Only for a moment though as a shudder ran through his frame and he released her, stepping back and looking away, his eyes downcast.

“What is it, Thor?” Malaki asked, speaking Asgardian as well, glad she was able to recall the tongue to her mind after not having spoken it in nearly seven hundred years. Fortunately the gift of tongues was one of her talents, allowing her to recall a language once she’d learned it, even if it had been nearly forever since last using it. “Talk to me, friend.” She touched her hand to his cheek, pulling his gaze up to meet hers.

Thor met her eyes then looked down once again, grasping her wrist gently with his hand and pulling it away from his face. “No, please. I am not clean. What I’ve been through,” he paused and shuddered again, “I feel as though it has tainted me.”

“Then let us cleanse you,” Malaki replied. She turned around in a circle to get her bearings, then pointed to the south and west. “My residence lies that way about 15 city blocks. We can take a cab or walk it if you don’t feel up to carrying us there.”

Thor smiled once again, the mirth almost erasing the misery in his eyes. “Yea, milady, that is one thing I am always ready to do,” he replied, starting Mjolnir spinning again in his hand and holding out his other arm to her. 

Malaki stepped to his side and held on tight as once again, they launched into the night sky.

This time, the flight was more of a hop, just a short ways away from where they had first landed. Thor set them down in the courtyard near the pool, landing them quietly so as to not alert anyone of their arrival. He grinned down at Malaki, happy to see that she seemed to enjoy this flight a lot better than the previous one. He admitted, it did take some getting used to. 

Following her into the building and up the stairs to her apartment, he was pleased to find that his view of her walk did still bring him pleasure, though that feeling of uncleanliness hampered his enjoyment. He hoped she could really help him, as he was not looking forward to seeking out a sage or shaman if she couldn’t. In this science-oriented world of Stark’s, it still amazed him that they continued to deny the spiritual side of their nature in favor of their physical beings. The imbalance that this led to was a continuous source of trouble for most people, the members of the Avengers especially, he often thought.

This fascination she had with Stark also troubled him, though he couldn’t say why beyond a certain amount of jealousy. That was something Malaki never tolerated from her friends and lovers, no matter who they were. God or not, he was on the same playing field as any mortal being when it came to her affection. Either she chose to grant it, or didn’t and nothing anyone said or did would change her mind. He knew this from past experience, though that didn’t make the pursuit any less enjoyable. 

He wasn’t sure why it bothered him, and with his head muddled the way it was at the moment, he couldn’t think clearly enough to figure it out. It would be best, he decided, to wait until he had more clarity of thought. 

Entering into her apartment, it was apparent that she had only been here a few days, as the furniture was brand new and the carpet was still very clean. Not that Malaki was a messy housekeeper, but she did tend to get into some pretty messy situations that ended up giving her places that certain lived-in quality. Thor collapsed on the couch and kicked his feet up on the low, sturdy, wooden table in front of it. A sigh of relief escaped him as he sank into the soft cushions, finally feeling as though he could relax and shrug off his cares. 

Taking a look around to orient himself, he noticed that there was two bedrooms, their doors swung open, and one other room with the door closed. That was probably where all her equipment was, he acknowledged. The fireplace in front of him was most likely shared with the bedroom on the other side of the wall, its door to the right of the opening there. Back behind him was the kitchen, with a bar and counter and four stools as the only seating. Typical, he thought, as Malaki rarely sat down for a meal when she was home. Off to his left, past the kitchen, was the closed door and then the open door to the second bedroom, where she’d disappeared as soon as they were in and the main door locked. The second bedroom appeared to be in a garret on the corner of the building, having many windows in a large curve of the wall, the blinds currently pulled on all of them, as were the blinds here in the main living area. 

As he was looking into the second bedroom, Malaki came out of it, wearing only a loose, green gown, darker in color than her eyes, with shades of blue shimmering in its folds. Her hair was loose now as well, hanging down her back and past her hips, curling up at the ends and around her face. She brought her finger to her lips as he was about to speak, hushing him. 

“We now begin the cleansing of Thor Odinson of Asgard,” she solemnly intoned, coming to stand next to him and sprinkling him with a handful of coarse salt, tossing it over him three times. Flexing her hands, the salt disappeared, to be replaced by small branches of sage, cedar, and sandalwood. Holding these in her left hand, she reached out to him and touched his boots, first the right and then the left. As she touched each one, she whisked the branches over it and it seemed to release its hold on him, being removed and ending up in her hand. She set these on the hearth by the fireplace and turned back to him.

Indicating he should rise, she again reached out, this time touching his breastplate. After the three whisks, she pulled on it and it released its hold on him, ending up in her hand, to join his boots on the hearth. The same happened to his pants and shirts and then his trews, leaving him completely naked and standing. Without speaking, she indicated he should be seated on the wooden table. He kept his eyes on her as he stepped on the table and sat, crossing his legs as he did. Lastly, she waved the branches over his head, then ran her fingers through his hair, ruffling it up from where it lay against his skull. 

Stepping to his right, Malaki turned slowly in a circle, the smoke from the branches wrapping around her. She fanned the smoke gathered around her out towards the north, chanting in her own language. From past experience, Thor knew she was invoking guides and spirits as well as her main God or Goddess to help her with the ritual. Repeating these steps at the west, south, then east points of the compass, she ended back at the north, turning inward to face him at the last.

She tipped her head to the side, contemplating him for a moment. Then, with a motion of her hands, the smoke swirled around him and the couch slid back, allowing the table he was seated on to rotate a quarter turn to his right. Now that he was facing north, and her, she set the smoking branches in a holder that appeared to her right and picked up the large white candle that showed up by her feet.

Lighting it with a snap of her fingers, she chanted again as she placed it on a short, black iron holder in front of him. She pulled on a silver cord hanging around her neck, retrieving a large clear crystal from between her breasts. Breathing on it as she held it in her palms, she chanted some more. Thor could see lights beginning to glow and swirl within the crystal until it was filled with pink, green, and white energy. 

She motioned for him to rise to his feet. He stood, the low table between them now and she began beckoning to him, the crystal still between her palms. Speaking now in Asgardian, she welcomed him. “I welcome Thor Odinson into my circle with honor and respect. I ask the divine powers that be present to help us clear, cleanse, and rejuvenate the energies of the spirit and body of Thor Odinson for the purpose of restoring his balance and cleanliness, that he may once again take up his mantle of authority and bear his responsibilities with joy and light.”

Beckoning again to him, she indicated he should again be seated. He noticed that now the table was covered in salt, feeling it prick the skin of his legs as he sat. After he was settled, she picked up the still-smoking branches and began fanning the smoke over and around him until he felt covered with the fragrant clouds. Her chanting, once again in her own language, came to him through the clouds as though from a distance now.

Suddenly she was there in front of him, having stepped through the smoke holding the crystal once again between her palms. She raised her hands above his head, the crystal now hanging from the silver cord to dangle down and touch him on his crown. Slowly, chanting continuously now, she brought it forward, scraping gently along his scalp, until it rested on his forehead. The light pulsing inside it changed from pink to green to white again and again in time with her words. 

He could feel the energy as it entered him from the crystal, pushing down from his head into his chest and out along his limbs. The darkness that he had felt holding him down, clouding his mind and making him feel unclean and out of sync with everything around him was pushed out ahead of the healing energies she was feeding him. Her chant shifted, as did her motions, becoming more insistent, pushing the smoke out away from him to the outer edges of the circle, taking the tainted energy with it until he felt clean, scrubbed from the inside out. 

With the smoke cleared away from him now, Malaki placed the crystal on the top of his head. “I ask that the energy imbued into this crystal be added to the essence of this being, Thor Odinson, to be absorbed, partnered and utilized by this being for the betterment and highest good of all,” she intoned in Asgardian. A sharp burst of light and heat entered his skull and quickly spread throughout his body. When it had settled down inside him, he realized the crystal had disappeared from his head. 

He looked up at her as she held out her hand to him. Placing his hand in hers, he was urged to his feet, where she walked him clockwise around the table three times, then around to the south and out of the area she had described with the smoke at the beginning of the ritual. Releasing his hand, she motioned for him to remain there, then turned her back to him and chanted some more, moving around to the north and blowing out the candle. The branches, now consumed, stopped smoking and she opened her arms, chanted once more then brought her hands together and bowed her head. 

Thor thought that might be the end of it, but when Malaki approached him again, she raised her finger to her lips. She led him into the bedroom that shared the fireplace and then into the Master bathroom. There she prompted him to step into the extra large bathtub and turned on the shower. The warm water ran over him, removing the salt that still stuck to his skin from earlier. Taking a clean cloth from the pile on the shelf nearby, she proceeded to scrub him down without soap, the salt scraping his skin clean. 

Once he was completely scrubbed down, she motioned for him to sit and ran warm water until the tub was full, then added mineral salts and essential oils and left him to soak. He closed his eyes and lay back, really, finally relaxing and allowing his body to refresh and rejuvenate. Malaki had left the room and he could hear her chanting once again, similar words to what she had chanted over him. Briefly, he wondered what she was cleansing, before he drifted off in a light doze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://www.paganspath.com/magik/clearing.htm    
>  I based my spell of cleansing on information from this website.


	11. Shakedown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha steps up as leader on their mission. They receive official orders. Tony wakes up rested, for once.

Natasha had to admit, with no records of the stranger found in any database, the possibility of her really being from another dimension had become almost undeniable. Standing there with everyone watching her, her gut reacted like she’d been kicked by the Hulk. She tried to find words to tell them that she still wanted to track the stranger down, that this only meant the danger was even more imminent, but nothing came out when she opened her mouth.

Steve’s hand on her shoulder brought her back from the sudden disconnected feeling she had overcome her. She looked up at him to see him giving her a grim smile.

“Just because she doesn’t exist in the database, doesn’t mean she isn’t dangerous. In fact,” he turned and looked at those gathered around, “I say this gives us even more reason to track her down and find out what she’s up to.”

They all nodded, agreeing with him. Nat was grateful he’d stepped in and taken the lead like he used to do. She’d planned plenty of strikes in the past but this one was personal for some reason, making it hard for her to stay objective. 

Going up to the cockpit, she sat in the co-pilot’s seat and looked at Vision, who seemed engrossed in the instruments of his pilot panel. Nat knew better. His attention was everywhere, probably involved in more things than she could count. In the last few months she had realized he possessed a unique point of view that often gave insight into situations that she wouldn’t have considered otherwise. Now was one of those times she realized that she needed a more objective view. “Tell me, Vizh, what do you think we should do about this...stranger?”

Vision looked at her, not saying anything while he studied her for a few moments, his piercing green eyes uncannily like the stranger’s. “Because the evidence points towards her having been truthful with us so far,” he paused, then qualified his statement, “with what she’s told us anyway, we should be willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.”

“What about this cover identity? Do we act like that doesn’t exist? And this thing with the money?” Nat fired off her questions, feeling defensive now,

Vision held up a hand. “She never introduced herself as her cover, so that points to her only setting that up as a normal course of action. She also didn’t hide her actions when you questioned her about her funding.” He just looked at her when she started to protest until she stopped and let him finish. “That tells me she either doesn’t consider what she does as illegal, or isn’t worried about repercussions.”

“Should we drop in on her like we’re planning or do you think she’ll retaliate?” Nat wasn’t planning on backing off, no matter what he said, but she did want to know what he thought about it.

“Wouldn’t you?” Vision gave the impression of eyebrows raising, even though he didn’t really have any. “Retaliate, I mean? Any aggressive move against her is likely to cause a defensive reaction. I would advise caution and restraint in your approach. It could very well be that she is planning on you coming after her. In which case, going into that apartment would be walking into a trap.”

“Thanks, Vizh, I’ll mention it to Steve.” Nat patted his arm as she rose to go back to the hold. “You and Wanda should probably stay with the Quinjet.” As she walked back to the others, she missed him shaking his head, a look of frustration in his eyes.

Fury’s callsign flashed across the main screen as she gets back there, followed by his face before anyone can activate the block on the video feed. He scowled at everyone present and visible, then narrowed his eyes and scowled even harder at Steve and Bucky, both of whom were attempting to casually blend into the shadows before he could see them. Nat stepped up, front and center, drawing his attention. She wasn’t sure if he was any more pissed than usual, but figured it might be best to address him before he brought up the presence of two of SHIELD’s most wanted on the plane.

“Hello, Director, what can I do for you today?”

“Besides telling me why you seem to be harboring two wanted fugitives?” Fury bit the words off short as they burst from his mouth, then gave a sharp bark of laughter. “How about telling me you really are in Richmond right this instance?”

Nat raised her eyebrows, only slightly surprised he was tracking them that closely but mostly that he approved of what they were doing. “Yes sir! We arrived about five minutes ago, sir.” She resisted snapping a salute at him, thinking he might take it as too sassy, even for her. “Is there something here we can help with?”

“As a matter of fact, there is. Tell me what you know about the incident from Friday afternoon.” He sat back a little bit from the camera, his attention appearing to drift from her face. 

She knew better, knew that he was listening to everything she said and catching anything she left unsaid. It was the work of a minute to send him the information in long form. Summarizing everything they had just gone over, including the apparent summoning of Thor, she gave him the most professional report she’d given in a long time, then waited as he read over a printout of what he had received from her, his visible eye narrowed in thought. He tapped his lips a couple of times with his finger, then tapped a button on the desk in front of him. 

“You and your team,” here he paused and gave her a weighted stare before continuing, “will be joining a ERO task force made up of ICE officers and others from CBP, USCIS, and of course, DHS to take into custody this person of interest that you have been tracking.”

“Of course,” Nat intoned, nodding her head, her voice carefully neutral. “Why do we need them again?” 

“Because,” Fury was impatience personified. “Currently, you people are on an unsanctioned flight in an official vehicle and need to get some legitimacy attached to your actions before it gets reported that you’ve gone rogue!” He threw down the folder he was looking through and leaned in closer to the camera, his good eye piercing them all with his glare. “I’m just glad Stark had the sense to go home instead of joining you, or I’d have more words for him in private.”

Nat looked at her teammates and they looked back at her. None of them, the official ones anyway, seemed the least bit interested in stepping forward to take Fury’s heat away from her. She didn’t mind, really, as this gave her the de facto leadership of the team. She turned back to face Fury.

“Yes, sir. Well, where do we meet the task force to report in?” 

Fury settled back in his chair and picked up the folder, a wicked grin stretching across his rugged features. “I knew you’d see reason, Agent Romanov. That’s one thing I’ve always admired about you.”

 

Tony woke up in the back seat of his car, slumped over and throat sore from snoring. The car was still in motion, Clint up front singing along to whatever was on the radio. Sitting up, he cleared his throat and searched for a bottle of water in the small compartment under the seat. 

“Feel better?” came Clint’s question in that chipper voice he used when trying to get on people’s nerves. Tony grimaced and swished his mouth out, rolling down the window to spit it out before answering. 

“Why didn’t you take me home where I could sleep in my bed?”

Clint chuckled. “Which bed is that? The one at Stark Tower that you haven’t slept in since the last time Pepper was around? Or the one at HQ that you’ve not slept in for the last 36 days? Oh, hey, I know. You must be talking about the one that you ordered specifically to help your back and had shipped to your new house out in Greenwich that you’ve never stepped foot in, right?” 

Tony glared at Clint’s smirk reflected in the rearview mirror. “Shut-up, smart-ass.” he grumbled, which only made Clint smile more. Looking at his watch he saw it had been 6 hours of sleep that he gotten. That was good, he thought, at least his REM/Circadian pattern wasn’t completely shot from the lack of sleep. The problem wasn’t sleeping, but rather getting to sleep these days. Every time he drifted off lately, increasingly so, something would wake him up and his brain would kick into overdrive and there would go another 24 or 36 hours before he realized it and then it would start all over again. He knew what woke him up and kept his brain active. Not that he was ready to admit it to anyone yet. It was painful to talk about and had cost him dearly the last couple of times he had tried. 

“Well, now that you’ve nannied me into getting some sleep, how about getting me breakfast and a shower?” he asked the back of Clint’s head. 

Clint responded by casually flipping him the bird and pulling up to the gated entrance to Stark Tower. “That’s above my paygrade,” he joked as they were waved through and allowed to enter the parking garage on the bottom floor. 

Tony chuckled. Clint’s straightforward sense of humor, as well as his level-headed approach to things, was something he’d missed in the past few months. He remembered the peacefulness of the farm where Clint’s family lived and wondered if he should maybe try something like that for a while. Maybe he could sleep then. The place out in Greenwich was supposed to be a horse farm or something, he remembered. Maybe that would work. He made a mental note to go visit the place soon. 

Getting out of the car, he opened the front door and leaned down to look Clint in the eye. “Don’t be a stranger, Barton,” he said, before shutting the door on any reply. Tony felt his throat tighten and cleared it a bit. He must really have been snoring, he thought, as the car pulled away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.ice.gov/removal-statistics/2016   
>  This report summarizes U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 removal activities. ICE shares responsibility for enforcing the nation's immigration laws with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In executing its enforcement duties, ERO focuses on two core missions: 1) the identification and apprehension of criminal aliens and other priority aliens located in the United States; and 2) the detention and removal of aliens arrested in the interior of the United States as well as those interdicted by CBP at the nation's borders. ICE is committed to smart immigration enforcement, preventing terrorism, and combating the illegal movement of people and goods.


	12. It’s a Trap!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony plays detective and finds some very interesting video.

Tony took the express elevator to his private floor, not wanting to talk to anyone right now. His mind was starting to wake up and the usual buzz of thoughts and ideas was beginning to percolate up to his consciousness. First up, he wanted to check and see if Nat had reported anything on the whereabouts of Malaki and Thor. Then he had to check on the anomaly to see if it had disappeared yet, which led him to thoughts of Rhodes and how to fix the stiffness he was experiencing in the exoskeletal leg frames they were working on. 

The memory of those lenses that Malaki had been using to read her system popped up in his mind as he stepped into his lab and the screens lit up around the room, leading him to consider how her system worked and what it used as a power source. First things first, though, he reminded himself, heading off to the bathroom for that shower. By the time he showered, changed clothes, and stepped back out into his lab, he’d ran through and discarded half a dozen ideas to try and duplicate the effect of the lenses and what her crystals had to do with her system’s power. 

Protein shake in hand, he sat down at his workbench and pulled up the videos and data from last night, starting them processing for details that he’d missed and began several searches for more data as well as running tests on the final batches of information from the anomaly, which, turned out, had closed early this morning. He hummed as he worked along for several long minutes, having started by sending requests for anyone to respond with an update on their monitoring of Malaki and Thor.

Thirty minutes with no replies left him with very little patience. He made his way over to the map he’d brought up first thing, locating the Quinjet the others had taken with them down to Richmond. It was currently parked somewhere on a rooftop in the main downtown area, he noticed, but no one was near it. As a matter of course, he dumped the data from its computer into the mainframe, setting it to collate and feed to his main screens. He wanted to see what his team had been up to since they’d left him behind to sleep.

“Oh this is interesting,” he said, scanning the information in front of him. He pulled up the video from last night and started the playback on a screen to his left, more interested in the audio of Malaki talking and not needing the distraction of watching her right now. With a couple of strokes of his keys, he started tracking her keywords to make a list for research, then turned his attention back to what he was seeing about her cover identity.

Quickly isolating the pertinent data, he followed the trails through the internet to their beginnings, then widened his search. It was too easy, he thought. If Malaki was the long-time expert at this that she claimed to be, it didn’t make sense that she would allow her cover to be so easily blown. Not that anyone but Nat or himself could have blown it, he told himself. Maybe a few others. 

The audio played again, having finished the first time through. This time, he listened more while he was searching for underlying trends that would point him to where she really was, focusing on her words alone. 

“I’m an explorer, an adventurer. I’ve also been trained in information gathering, several forms of fighting and piloting air and spacecraft…”

“I go places that call me, that I feel summoned to. It’s usually because something is going to happen and I’m needed there, or feel that I can make a difference.”

“I have been called many things in my travels and by many people. Wildcard, Catalyst, these names are descriptions of me, of what draws me to a place. I go where change is coming, where chaos happens. Sometimes, I fight as a warrior, other times as an agent of dissension. There is very little I haven’t done or seen in my many years of existence. I have died many times and yet I always come back and do it again. I don’t know why I am here exactly, but there will come a time for me and I hope I can be of help when it happens.”

“Stop!” Tony ordered, bringing the looping playback to a halt. He had just registered what Malaki had said about dying and coming back and it had hit him in the gut, a hollow feeling forming there. Part of him now wanted to look up all the references to beings that died and came back and part wanted to turn it all off and go hide in his bed. Instead he did what he always did, continued on as if everything was normal and pulled up the location for the apartment building that the team had found, the one that Fury had sent them to for the task force hookup with the ICE/DHS goons, looking at the security camera footage for the last several days. 

When he had gone over it several times with his fine tooth comb, aka identity scanning programs, he was sure that Malaki had never set foot inside the building. In fact, he was certain she’d never been to downtown Richmond at all. He checked the delivery logs of the companies that had delivered to her listed apartment and found that they all showed that their people had been let into the apartment by either the building superintendent or the resident landlady. Pulling the phone records for the building, he found evidence of Malaki speaking with the landlady and instructing her to let the delivery men in on the day she’d arrived. 

That call didn’t seem to be traceable, until he remembered that one of the military men had reported smelling fresh laundry. He dove into the computer records for information on the unit of National Guard that had been out there that day and found a lead on the phone call there, made from a line linked into the onsite computer and transferred over during the time before he’d arrived to check things out. 

Tony couldn’t resist grinning any longer. He’d figured out her game, now to find out where she really was. Excitement spiked through him, making him feel like a modern detective. He expanded his circle of investigation to include more apartments in the Richmond area, narrowing it down to the day of her arrival for the beginning of the rental agreement and move in date. After that it was easy to eliminate all that didn’t fit the criteria of single female and added in the factor of the rental being done online. He thought about it for a moment, then erased that last part. That wasn’t a proven factor, just a theory on his part and if he went with it, he might miss her. She could have held it online or over the phone, then signed the lease in person. 

The hit came shortly after the search started. Upper floor apartment, single female, signed in person and paid in full for the year. Just as he was checking for any surveillance videos in the area, tapping into local law enforcement as well as private recordings, another hit came up, this one of the original apartment that she’d used as a decoy. 

Tony grinned again as he scanned the report and triggered Nat’s radio frequency. “Hey Nat, I know you can hear me. I’ve got good news and bad news for you on your hunt there in Richmond.” He paused and then added, “Over.” 

“Welcome back to the land of the living, Tony,” came her voice, tense but lively. “What’s the news, good or bad?” She didn’t say ‘over’, as he knew it just peeved her when he did it and refused to reply with it. 

“It’s a trap,” he said, unable to keep his face or his voice from revealing his elation at being able to announce this. 

“What’s a trap?” Nat sounded cautious and a bit confused. 

“The apartment in downtown Richmond. She set it up as a decoy and if you’re moving on it with the feds like the action call shows, you’re either walking into an empty place, or a trap.” Tony smirked and pulled up the security cameras from the rooftops of the surrounding buildings. Sure enough, in the early morning light he could see several men and women in dark blue jackets taking up positions at various points around rooftop. Nat was next to Steve and a couple of feds, her hand to her ear.

“Are you suited up?” she asked, looking around the sky to see if he was there. 

Tony chuckled. “No, but I am watching you right now. I’m not saying don’t go. I just want you to be prepared for whatever might be in the apartment.”

She didn’t answer him right away, but Tony could see her leaning first toward Steve and then one of the feds before speaking to him again. “Okay, thanks for the info. Are you going to come down here and help?” 

“No, I don’t think I’ll be needed, so I figured I’d go a different route.” He was deliberately obtuse with his reply, not wanting to give away his intentions too soon.

It didn’t matter. Nat knew him too well. “You have a hit on another possible location, don’t you?” she asked. Not waiting for his reply, she cautioned him. “Be careful, Tony. We don’t know what the target is fully capable of. And if Thor’s been…” she broke off, leaving that sentence unfinished.

Tony hadn’t even considered that, but now that she’d mentioned it, he couldn’t get it out of his head. He’d faced Loki when Loki had the sceptre, only escaping from enthrallment himself because of his reactor, which was now gone from his chest. “Thanks, Nat. I’ll keep it in mind. I promise, I’ll keep the suit on as long as I feel threatened,” he told her, meaning it for the most part.

“Okay, Tony, I hope you mean that,” she replied. With that, her signal cut off and she waved to him on camera, then followed the feds into the rooftop door of the apartment building.

Tony winced. She knew him too well sometimes, he thought. He called his suit and checked his other projects while waiting for it to show up. He still wasn’t use to not having it immediately near him when he called it, but that was part of the accords that he’d signed and agreed to obey. If he wanted to be near the suit, he’d have to stay at HQ. He’d tried that and found it hampered his freedom to research whatever he wanted. Compromise was not something he was enjoying getting use to.

The workroom was too quiet and he found himself wanting to hear Malaki’s voice again, so he started up the full recording from the restaurant, allowing it to play out while he worked. He noticed now when she hesitated before going on to explain who she was. He could relate to that, having noticed a difference now when he announced that he was Iron Man from the first time. It made him sad to realize he’d lost that and actually missed feeling that way. 

The suit arrived none too soon, interrupting his melancholy. He felt his heartbeat pick up at the thought of surprising her with his appearance. Stepping into the suit and allowing it to close around him, he couldn’t help the grin on his face as he took off into the morning sky to find what he was now thinking of as his new destiny.


	13. Blessed Be

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: NFSW; Sexual Healing; Erotic description  
> Thor and Malaki complete his cleansing. It's very thorough. Malaki is still focused on Tony, but she can't resist a good, clean roll in the "hay".

Thor awoke to Malaki reaching in and pulling the plug, allowing the cooled off water to drain away. Again she put her fingers to her lips, keeping him silent. Stepping back, she held out a large towel for him to wrap up in, then led him into the bedroom. There she moved his arms out and allowed the towel to drop. A warm breeze began to blow, wrapping around him and gently drying him. His hair was gently ruffled until dry and he felt warm and cozy all over.

Malaki led him over to the bed then, inviting him to make himself comfortable on his stomach. He lay there, his head turned to watch her, wondering what was next. Obviously the ritual wasn’t over yet, as she hadn’t let him speak. He noticed she had a wreath in her hair now, woven of what looked like mistletoe, complete with berries and flowers. With her left hand she reached up and grabbed a handful of her gown and gave it a firm tug. It, like his clothes and boots earlier, came off her like it was nothing more than an illusion, leaving her wearing only the wreath and a matching garland around her waist.

Thor understood then that she was representing the Goddess herself at this moment. It came to him that this was why she'd been cleansing herself earlier, which made sense now. He had known the Goddess intimately before, knew her now or had according to his last memories of home.

He felt a stirring deep within him at that thought. That Malaki would invoke Her here, would personify Her for him at this moment, spoke to him on his most personal level of being. That this manifested physically was a bonus. A smile of pleasure curved his lips as she climbed onto the bed and began massaging him, starting with his feet. 

She slowly moved up his legs, massaging each part until he felt it would melt before moving onto the next. When she finished with his thighs and moved up to his buttocks, he felt his manhood stir beneath him. A small groan of pleasure escaped his lips, making him smile even more. She couldn’t fault him for noises he made when she was doing what she was with her hands. As she continued up his back, he felt any remaining tension he had left melt and flow out of him. His energy was returning to him, he could tell, mostly by the continued reaction he was experiencing as she slid up his legs to massage his back some more, her bare legs creating warm friction on his.

The first time her breasts brushed against his back he felt a thrill race up and down his body, much like the lightning he generated. Her hands kneaded into his muscles, releasing the pent up energy there, dispelling the darkness. She slid up further onto his buttocks, the soft mound between her legs warm against him, exciting him further. As she massage each of his arms in turn, she placed a kiss on the ends of each fingers, sending tingles racing up to his spine. He felt himself growing harder in response and soon he was anticipating turning over for her to massage his front.

Malaki was having trouble maintaining her composure, sitting as she was on the buttocks of this beautiful man. She’d always thought of him in the phrase from the Mary Poppins story - practically perfect in every way - but seeing him like this, touching him all over, brought it home to her in exquisite detail. She felt herself growing hot and had to work to control her breathing, but couldn’t resist a few teasing brushes of her nipples against his muscled back. The kisses on his fingertips was more teasing, letting him know in advance where this was headed.

Finally she allowed herself to have him turn over. As expected, he was very aroused by her massage, his cock full and throbbing as his eyes raked over her body. The garland she still wore gave him pause and he closed his eyes with a slight groan, laying his head back into the pillow. A smile on her lips, she began the massaging process again from his feet and up, dispelling any remaining darkness from his aura and inviting light and joy into his being. Though it was tempting, she resisted straddling his hips to reach his chest and arms, instead sitting beside him for one side and then moving over to the other side to do the same there. 

Only after she was done, completely going over his body to make sure she touched all parts, including his head and scalp, did she give in to her desire. It was appropriate then, as removing all tainted material from him was the ultimate goal. She would just have to restrain herself a little longer, no matter how pleasurable this part was. Kneeling up on her knees, she leaned over him, holding herself on her hands braced on his broad chest, enjoying the feeling of his muscles moving and bunching beneath them. 

When she swung her leg over his hips and sat down, resting just below his groin, he groaned and grabbed her hips with his hands. Gently she grasped his wrists and pulled them from her hips, wanting to maintain her composure for this last part, hard as that would be. She placed her hands back on his chest and leaned forward, lifting her hips up and over his throbbing cock. Taking a deep breath, she rested herself against the tip, feeling his heat on hers, their pulses mingling together. He gasped and she slid down his length, his thickness filling her and making her ache up through the center of her body.

He grabbed handfuls of bedclothes and moaned as she slid slowly up his shaft and then down again. Pulling herself free, she reached down and grabbed the condom she had set on the bed, shaking it loose to slip onto him. Once that was done, she repositioned herself and slid back onto his throbbing length. A shiver ran through her body, then was echoed in his and she began moving, rocking back and forth slowly, enjoying the slipping of him in and out of her heat. His hips thrust at hers with each stroke, his breath deep and controlled as he refrained from grabbing onto her. As she began increasing her pace, his breathing started coming more and more frequently, shallow now as his passion increased. 

Finally he could take no more and sat up, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her down hard onto his engorged cock. Malaki groaned loudly, ending in a growl deep in her throat as she fought to keep herself contained despite the assault on her senses. Gripping his shoulders, she pushed him back a bit, holding herself still until he released his hold on her, relenting enough to place his hands on her waist, his head bowed to rest on her collarbone. Only then did she began moving once more, pushing her hips against his and rocking his length inside her, her legs circling his hips for balance. 

They maintained this position, their arms bracing against each other, even as their rocking pace increased until they were jamming against each other, groaning and growling with every thrust. His climax came and triggered hers and then they rocked a bit more until the orgasms clenched their muscles too tightly for movement. Malaki threw her head back and panted as her whole body quivered and shook with the fierceness of her ecstasy. Beneath her, she could feel Thor enraptured by the same passion, his arms and legs trembling as he sucked in breath after breath and held her tightly. A moment of stillness overcame them and they held onto each other, caught in ecstasy. 

Releasing his shoulders, Malaki pushed him back gently. Thor lay back, his blue eyes catching her gaze and smiling with pleasure. When he was laid out fully, Malaki eased herself off of him, careful to hold the condom containing his spent seed so it wouldn’t come off too soon. Once she was off of him, she removed the condom and twisted it shut, then climbed off the bed and went to the fireplace. There she removed the garlands from her head and waist and laid them in the hearth, the condom on top of them. Casting a smile in Thor’s direction, she left the room and went into the living area, where she placed his clothes and boots in the fireplace as well, opening the back wall to allow the hearths to be combined. 

When she entered the bedroom again, Thor was sitting up on the bed, looking at the fireplace with a worried look on his face. Again, she placed her finger to her lips, letting him know not to speak just yet. Turning to the hearth, she raised her arms and called heat to the pile of items there, igniting them with white-hot flames. They burned intensely, the flames consuming them quickly. From behind her, Malaki heard a slight gasp of protest from Thor, but no movement. 

As the items were consumed, she moved the air to collect the ashes and combined them once again, recreating the items back to their original state of being. This to her was the more enjoyable part of her talent, using her elemental kinetics to combine things into creations. A soft chuckle behind her from Thor let her know that he was pleasantly surprised at this re-creation of his gear as well. Tension released from her body as she allowed the mantle of the Goddess to be shed from her aura.

She gathered his gear in her arms and went over to the chair next to the dresser, laying it all out for later. Turning back to face him, she manifested a light blue silk camisole that draped over her full breasts and fell down to the tops of her thighs. Sauntering over to the bedside, she smiled at Thor. “ How do you feel now, kaeri vinur?”

“Astvinur, I feel wonderful now! Thank you!” Thor exclaimed, holding out his arms. Malaki hesitated, then stepped into his embrace. She turned her face up to his, enjoying his relaxed smile. She was glad he was feeling better but wasn’t looking forward to telling him why she was here. 

The fact that he had called her ‘beloved’ in response to her calling him ‘dear friend’ meant he was still feeling amorous. To be expected considering what they had just been through, even if it was not what she had in mind. In a better state of being was all well and good for him and she would not be averse to some fun time of her own, but she knew from past experience with others that Thor would not be happy with being put off, especially for a mere human, not even one as special as Tony. 

He pulled on her hips, trying to slide her up onto his lap. As much as she would have enjoyed the ride, she resisted, leaning back against his arms, her feet firm on the carpeted floor. The relaxed, happy look slide off his face, leaving a puzzled frown. Releasing his hold on her, Thor rested his hands on his knees. 

“Let me guess,” he intoned with a sigh, “you are saving yourself for Stark, correct?” 

Malaki laid her hands on his, leaning toward him just a little. “Please don’t take it so hard, Thor. Kaeri vinur. It’s not that I don’t want to do anything with you. Trust me,” she caught his eye and smirked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively, “I would be happy to dally with you, if -” she broke off her sentence at his grimace and stepped back. 

Thor’s head bowed, his brow furrowed in thought. He crossed his arms and rubbed his jaw with one hand. He had felt a pang of jealousy when she confirmed his suspicions about Stark, but the man wasn’t here and he was. It occurred to him that once she and Tony did come to an agreement, it wasn’t likely that she would be open to any kind of dalliance because of Stark, and Stark, like most humans, had proven to have very restrained, conservative ideas when it came to relationships. 

That left him with tonight to convince her how much he wanted to be here with her, not just for something physical, but because of who and what she was and how she was able to understand him, relate to him and his circumstances. A term from his interactions with the Avengers and his other human friends came to him, bringing a slight smile to his somber expression. He looked up at her from his contemplative posture. 

“Thank you, Malaki. I am not looking for just a brief, what’s the phrase - hookup with you. I hold you in too high a regard for that. But,” he tilted his head to the side and gave her his own sultry grin, “I’m very eager to introduce you to a certain relationship that our human friends occasionally indulge in.” He held out his hands to her and gave her a wide-eyed, eager look, almost pleading with her to agree with him.

Malaki couldn’t resist a skeptical half-grin, taking his hands and stepping closer to him, wondering if what he was going to say coincided with how she tended to conduct most of her affairs. “I might, as I tend to be rather open-minded when it comes to relationships, as I’m sure you remember.”

Thor grinned at the reminder. “I do, which is why I am suggesting to you that we remain as friends, but,” he paused and drew her even closer, “how do they put it, friends with benefits.”

“That, kaeri vinur,” she responded, leaning in to rub her nose against his, “is an Earth custom I am ready and willing to adapt.” She squealed as he pulled her on top of him onto the bed. The blue silk camisole soon lay crumpled on the floor as they sealed their friendship in a most pleasing fashion.


	14. Takedown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha and the others have followed their noses down to Richmond, Virginia to see if they can find Malaki. They are taking part in a joint raid with other government agencies on the apartment where all their leads point as where she has setup her base of operation.

The field agent in charge of the operation steps into Natasha’s field of vision as she finishes speaking with Tony.

“Everything alright, Agent…?” his question drags to a halt as he tries to be subtle about asking for her name, like he doesn’t truly know it. She is certain he does, just as he knows the names of the two big guys she has at her back, their faces covered in standard headgear but not really hiding their identities, a sham to allow everyone to go along with the ploy. 

“Black,” she tosses back at him with hardly any hesitation. “And yes, everything is fine. Just checking in with Command.” She’s glad Tony can’t hear her call him that. He’d want repeats if he ever did, she would bet on it. 

Special Agent McElroy nods, as though in agreement with her statement. He nods again, this time at the two muscular agents standing ready behind her. “Your team, are they ready?”

Nat, Agent Black, gives him a small, tight grin. Having them show up to lend a hand had definitely not made McElroy’s day any better, had in fact, made him aware of how not good it really was, at least for him. She was of the opinion this day was a definite improvement on yesterday. Still, she didn’t give any more information than necessary. “Agents Silver and Gold are in the air, Agent Scarlet is down at ground level. Agents Blue and Red here,” she wags her head at her oversized shadows, “are with me for the approach.”

McElroy tries hard not to show his worry, his anxiety at why they would be here, hiding it behind a scowl. They wouldn’t show up for just any ERO, only one that involved a possibility of a powered being, something that standard weapons and agents couldn’t handle. He hadn’t received any intel on that possibility, but with this group joining his joint task force, it meant it was now reality for them. He takes a deep breath and asks for specifics, bracing for what he might hear.

“Care to tell me what we’re dealing with here, Agent Black?” He looks her in the eye, still a little surprised that she wasn’t taller. She gives him another of those tight, little smirks.

“The target is female, appears to be human in appearance, around mid-thirties in age,” she had to stop from laughing when she hears Steve, Agent Blue, behind her choke on his own laughter as she gives Malaki’s age as older than she appeared. Bucky, Agent Red, sniggers and coughs, turning away slightly when Sam’s voice comes over their earpieces. “Agent Silver reporting in. Did I hear that correctly, Agent Black? You throwing shade like that?”

Composing herself, she continues with her report, refusing to answer that question. “She came through that anomaly four days ago, Agent McElroy, has alien technology and managed to insert herself into the databases of our systems so well it took us this long to track her down to this location.” She lifts her chin at him, encouraging him to share in return. “What have you got? How did you get wind of her?”

McElroy grins with reluctant admiration and shakes his head. “Damnedest thing, Black. It wasn’t through tracking her movements or anything like that.” He chuckled, “It was…”

“Facebook.” A blonde woman, almost as tall as McElroy comes bouncing up to him, blurting out the word like it was the punchline to a joke. She grins and nods at them, chewing a large wad of gum and shaking her head. At the puzzled look o Nat’s face, she continues. “The perp inserted a large amount of data into Facebook’s main server and it alerted their security protocol, which made their security team take a look at it. They notified CIA, who pawned it off on us, as usual.” She chuckles, a nasty little snigger that shows how unamused she really is, and checks her pistol before positioning it in front of her, muzzle down and resting against her off-hand. Even as she does this, she shifts her feet and looks around the perimeter of the roof, then chews her gum some more, rapid-fire chomps that were loud in the early dawn air.

“Lose the gum already, Yablonski,” McElroy shakes his head at his agent, then nods at Nat. “Like she said, it wasn’t us that found her. But we’ll be doing our best to bring her in for questioning.” He raises a fist and Yablonski begins barking orders softly into her mic. 

As the agents on the roof and down below begin to deploy, Steve leans into Nat’s shoulder. “What did Tony tell you?” he murmurs in her ear.

“He said it’s a trap but do it anyways.” She turns her head just enough to look at Steve from the corner of her eye, in time to catch him frown and glance at Bucky. Sliding her gaze that direction, she catches Bucky rolling his eyes in exasperation. She agrees, but doesn’t see how they could back out of the operation now without raising more questions than any of them wanted to answer. McElroy waves her over to him before she can say anything to either of them.

“I want your team to hang back and let us do our part. Only step in if things get hairy, got it?”

“Aye aye,” is what she starts to say, but cuts it short when he glared at her and turned it into an “ayyup.” She doesn't blame him for being short with her. It wasn't as if he'd asked for her team to show up and possibly steal his operation. Nat catches a glimpse over his left shoulder of Yablonski surreptitiously sliding another stick of gum in her mouth and start to chew it, bouncing as she did. Nat recognizes it now as the caffeinated kind and wonders how many sticks the agent has gone through already this morning.

They space themselves in front of the four sliding glass doors that the apartment complex has leading up to the roof deck, Nat and her shadows behind McElroy and another agent with ICE in large letters on the back of his armored vest. Yablonski is in the lead of the group to her right, while other members of the task force are separated at the two doors behind her back. The sun is coming up through the buildings of downtown Richmond as they head into the area leading down the stairs and into the apartment hallways below. 

“And we’re a go,” Nat murmurs to Sam and Vizh, the signal for them to cover the outside windows of the building, watching for any exit their target might make. If she’s even here. Nat finds herself thinking. She quickly blocks that line of thought, focusing on the task at hand. 

They slip into the stairwells of the building, everyone armed but Steve and Bucky, although Nat would bet on Bucky having a knife or two somewhere on his person. In the halls, it’s even more crowded, with agents blocking doors to keep any early-rising residents from coming out into the line of fire and Yablonski meeting McElroy at the door of their target, trailing agents like comet debris. Nat holds off pulling out the gun she’d been given, preferring to not add to the possibility of shooting a non-target bystander. Facing guns had never bothered her and in this instance, she was dead certain their target wouldn’t pull any standard weapon in defense of her freedom. 

If she’s there. That voice tickles her brain again. She doesn’t shush it this time, just ignores it, sliding up near McElroy’s right side to catch the best view of their entrance. He’s whispering harshly into his mic, giving the signal to the agents still on the roof. Within seconds, she hears the crash of glass and wood as the windows on the outside of the apartment are breached and entered. Shouts follow, standard orders to come out, hands up, demands for surrender muted through the walls. These are quickly followed by surprised shouts and hollering by the agents, and even more quickly by suspicious silence. 

Behind her Steve grunts and pushes her to the side, heading for the door. He is beaten there by McElroy and Yablonski shouldering it down as a team, jumping through the now open doorway side by side, guns drawn and hollering the same as their men had been. Yablonski’s shout is changed midway through to a squeal and then silence. Nat rushes to the doorway behind Steve, peering around his waist at what is going on inside.

McElroy is standing near the left wall, hands in the air, gun in the left one, his eyes wide. In front of him and behind, against the wall itself, hang thin sheets of clear plastic, held to the ceiling by strips of metal. The plastic sheets seem to glow slightly blue. Scanning the rest of the room, Nat can see more of these hanging throughout the open area of the front room and dining area, with just enough room between them to thread a narrow path around the corner, presumably to the bedroom, from what she can remember of the floorplan. 

It’s also now apparent what happened to the agents that had busted in through the windows, as well as Yablonski. All of them are wrapped up in sheets, some of them in two or three, like they had struggled and other sheets had been drawn in by the touch of an arm or a leg. They were all covered from head to toe and Nat wondered if they were dead, suffocated by the sheets. She was reminded of jellyfish dangling their tentacles down to catch unsuspecting fish. 

Suddenly McElroy explodes into action. “We have to save them! They can’t breathe!” He leaps toward Yablonski, his hands empty. Nat supposes he had holstered his gun while she was taking in the scene. He didn’t make it far. His shoe brushes the sheet that had been in front of him and she watches aghast as it wraps around his leg, throwing him off balance and into a sheet that was between him and his second. In no more than a few seconds, he is fully wrapped up and hanging from the ceiling, struggling for a few moments until he seems to fall asleep. She wonders if there is a neurotoxin involved. Once he is still, she steps into the room.

“Red, Blue, hold the door. Don’t let anyone else in.” She throws the command over her shoulder even as she steps cautiously closer to McElroy. Her senses are hyped, waiting for something, anything else to pop out. This was some trap, her voice murmured. Guess Tony was right. She vowed never to tell him that about this situation. 

Reaching out slow and careful, she brushes her fingertips against the sheet wrapping McElroy up like a side of meat. A tingle of electricity runs up her arm, leaving it numb as it falls to her side. Glancing over her shoulder, she sees Steve taking a step towards her. With a flick of her other hand, she motions him back. “No, stay there, Agent Blue. Agents Silver and Scarlet, any sign of our target exiting the building?”

“Negative,” comes Sam’s voice, higher pitch than normal. “Is everything okay down there?”

“Nothing down here,” Wanda replies, with a touch of bitterness. She hadn’t wanted to be stuck watching the ground exit instead of entering the building. Nat sympathizes but hadn’t been willing to risk having her, as a new agent still in training, anywhere near the takedown. “And no, Sam, everything isn’t alright.” 

Nat knew that was Wanda’s way of reminding them, her especially, of the talents she possessed, but again, her inexperience was the problem, an issue that Wanda didn’t want to admit as truth. Much as she hates to have to do it, she barks a reprimand at the younger woman. “Agent Scarlet, stick to code name protocol. And no chatter on the active channel.” 

Shaking her head, she calls in the one person she is certain could handle this situation. “Agent Gold, come to the target site. Your skill set is needed.”

Vision glided through the outside wall of the apartment, straight through the sheets of plastic, including one with an agent wrapped in it, and up to Nat. She motions at the hanging agents. “Can you free the agents from these entanglements?”

He turns and studies the sheets and agents for a moment, then walks through McElroy to an empty set and holds out his arm, touching it with his forearm. It snakes around his limb, hissing slightly in the silence of the room. The sheet glows a deeper blue than those around the agents, then he becomes intangible and walks back to Nat and Steve, leaving the sheet wrapped in a bunch where it hung. “It seems there is a small electrical charge running through the plastic somehow, enough to stun a human, but not hurt them.” He rotates his hand in front of her, showing his palm and then the back.

“What about suffocation?” Nat asks, impatience tinging her question with a sharper tone than normal. “We need to get these people out so they can breathe!”

Vision gives her that neutral look, the one that she always thinks of as being smug, that he uses when stating something so obvious, at least to him, that everyone should have known. “The material is permeable. Anyone caught would only have trouble breathing right when they are first wrapped up, before the charge stuns them and their breathing slows.” 

“Then let’s get them out of those wrappings,” states Steve, taking a couple of steps toward Yablonski’s stunned figure. Vision holds his hand to Steve’s arm, halting his movement.

“The stun charge would work on you, as well," Vision pauses a moment, then adds Steve's code name, "Agent Blue. It’s set to a frequency that directly affects the human nervous system.” 

Steve’s exasperated sigh as he tosses his hands up is paired with an expletive from Bucky “Then what do we do? We can’t just leave them,” he blurts out, pacing back and forth inside the small area in front of the door. 

Nat is glad he said it, allowing her to remain stoic and silent instead of venting her frustration. Vision shifts his bland, smug stare over to Steve for a moment, then turns and walks through three of the sheets to the right of the front doorway and reaches down to a plug, pulling the cord there from the socket. Instantly, the low hum that she hadn't realized she was listening to stops as does the faint blue glow of the plastic sheets throughout the room. 

All the wrapped up agents are unbound, falling to the floor with moans and groans, still for a few seconds before beginning to recover their senses. As they are starting to stir, Nat reaches out to the nearest sheet. Her fingertips brush along its length. It feels like slick, thin plastic now, nothing more. Her curiosity gets to her and she pulls the sheet towards her face. Sure enough, she is able to breathe through it, although like it was a cloth over her face. 

Steve shakes his head at her as he bends down to pick up Yablonski. She gives him a lopsided grin and steps over to McElroy, who is sitting up and shaking the cobwebs loose from his brain. “How you feeling, sir?” she asks as she squats down next to him. He gives her a slightly wild-eyed stare before shaking his head one last time and groaning at the feeling in his head.

“Like I have a hangover.” He reaches out and lays a hand on her forearm. “Thanks. I’m glad your team was here to help.” He pulls himself up and goes to check on his own teammates, leaving Nat bemused. Most agents, no matter who they worked for, usually had a tough time acknowledging anyone other than their own teammates, so his gratitude is unexpected. 

Once everyone is recovered and the area is secured for further investigation, Natasha orders Sam, Vision, and Wanda back to the Quinjet they had left parked on a nearby rooftop. Bucky and Steve stay close by, helping to secure the area and watching for anything unusual to show up. With the sheets now deactivated, several agents were beginning to look the area over, trying to determine if there were any clues as to where their target was now. An agent emerges from the back bedroom and dodges through the sheet maze to McElroy, her face a mix of worry and anticipation. 

“Sir, we found something. It looks like a messaging device.”

They all rush the bedroom, eager to see what has been discovered. Nat is disappointed when she sees it, mostly because compared to the things she’s seen, this is quite ordinary.

“It looks like an answering machine,” Yablonski grouses. Nat suppresses a grin, glad she isn’t the only one unimpressed. The device is smaller than a tablet, but thicker through than a smartphone, around 3 inches thick, 4 inches wide and 6 inches long, with a smaller unit sticking up from the middle. The smaller unit looked like a jump drive standing in a port slot, a green light blinking on the right-hand corner. Nat wants to reach out and touch it, but refrains, knowing she’d most likely get shouted at for breaking investigation protocol. She settles for leaning closer to the unit, resting as it is on an end table that looks like it came from a cheap motel. McElroy follows suit, obviously wanting a closer look as well. 

As their faces draw nearer to the unit, it lets out a high pitch triple beep, making them all jump. A voice issues forth from the device, one that Nat has heard before.

“Hi! Glad you could make it to my little funhouse maze! I hope y’all had a good time.” Malaki’s affected Southern drawl is dripping with amused mockery. That chuckle Nat had heard first on the plane comes through the unit, followed by a slight groan. “Oh Tasha, Tasha, Tasha. Is that really you there with the goonsquad? I can’t believe you were drawn into my little shenanigans there. Did you actually fall for that whole setup? Say it ain’t so.” The chuckle came again, evolving quickly into a full-blown throaty laugh.

Nat felt eyes on her and looked up from the device to find McElroy and Yablonski glaring at her. “You know this person?” Yablonski asks, her disbelief and shock turning her voice harsh. 

McElroy folds his arms across his chest. “I think we need to have a long talk, Agent Black,” he stated, emphasizing her code name with a harsh, contemptuous riff.

Nat groans to herself. It was turning out to be not such a good day for her after all.


	15. Confession is Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Relationships are complicated and being smart or strong or having weird powers doesn't make it any easier. Cooler heads make it easier, and surprisingly this time it's Thor.

Malaki awoke snuggled in the crook of Thor’s body, her head resting on his shoulder, their legs intertwined. She was facing him, her arm she was laying on tucked up along his torso, the other resting across his waist. His arm was on her waist, cradling her in a circle made by his arms and body. For a long moment, stretching out into infinity, caught in a bubble of timelessness, she was at peace. His breathing soothed her, watching his face at rest, the worries and stresses of life, of godhood, gone for this idyllic moment, made it a temptation of poignant sweetness to remain here, disregarding the rest of the world, the entirety of their reality. He would be tempted as well. 

Tempting as it was, she knew it was a moment that would only cause problems if allowed to continue much longer. Not just the temptation for Thor, and herself to be truthful, to push aside their responsibilities, but also the problems it would cause those around them. The ratio of responsibility to power was such that she, and to only a slightly lesser degree, Thor, were always going to be busy doing the things that needed to be done. The nice thing was, it made these brief moments of paradise all the more enjoyable. 

Finally convinced she needed to get up and get her day started, Malaki slid her hand from his waist and half rose on her arm, trying to slip free before he woke. She made it almost fully upright before his arm tightened around her waist, joined by the one underneath her, freed by her movement to clasp behind her, holding her there as he watched her. Meeting his soft, blue-eyed gaze with a mischievous grin, she slid both hands up his chest, letting out a soft moan at the feel of his rock-hard muscles under his faded golden skin and the silky smooth hair over top of it. His hands loosened at her back and she took it as the perfect time to attack. 

Her fingers hit his ribs and dug in just hard enough to make him burst out laughing, clenching his arms down to his sides and trying to roll away from her. Malaki flung one leg over both of his, holding him beneath her as he struggled. Laughing maniacally, she moved to his hipbones, wiggling her fingertips in the sensitive areas there. Thor sat up quickly, clutching at her arms to pin them down, trying to stop her from her torturous pleasure. 

Wiggling free, she raised her hands, fingers curled as though she was looking for another avenue of attack. Thor raised his eyebrows and widened his eyes in mock-terror, then snatched both her hands and pulled her hard against him, capturing her mouth with his. Malaki relaxed into the kiss, sliding her arms around his neck, her fingers running through his shorn curls. His arms slid around her waist, holding her fast. Beneath her, she felt him growing hard, weakening her own resolve to not take it any farther. With a soft groan, she ended the kiss and raised her gaze to his. 

“We need to hold off, kaeri,” she murmured, a little out of breath. The heat in his bright blue eyes stirred her deep down inside. She lowered her gaze and continued, hoping to deflect his amorousness. “I expect Tony to be showing up soon. He’s bound to figure out the little distraction I set up for the others.”

Thor chuckled, amused by the thought of Stark barging in on him and Malaki in the middle of sex. When she crinkled her nose at him in question of his mirth, he shared the thought. “If Stark wants to charge in uninvited, he deserve to get an eyeful. I don’t care and you shouldn’t either.” He refrained from calling her beloved, as he now knew she was focused on Stark and that would just be petty. When she chuckled at his statement, he did however take the advantage and wiggled under her, rubbing his hard length against her sensitive areas. 

Malaki moaned at his motions. “That is so unfair,” she panted, then raised herself to slide onto him, her heat enveloping his shaft. He groaned in return. No more conversation happened after that for nearly an hour, ending with them in the shower. 

As Malaki, now sated and clean, headed out of the bathroom, Thor swatted her on her bottom. With a small, playful squeal, she jumped away. “Enough, you glutton!” Her laughter made it a joke. Waving at the kitchen area as she exited the bedroom, she spoke loudly over her shoulder at him, noting he was still naked. “Put a towel or some clothes on and come get something to eat. The kitchen is set up for self-serve.”

Thor grinned and grabbed an oversized bath towel, wrapping it around his waist and padding after her. She headed into the bedroom closest to the kitchen, the one she had set up as her operations center. He caught a glimpse of black curtains draped around the entire room, even over the windows, before she shut the door behind her. Shrugging, he pulled out one of the two barstools at the counter and sat. His stomach growled in anticipation and he rubbed his hands together. “Okay, how about a full English breakfast, a Denver omelette, four waffles with cream and syrup, and a tall mug of ale.” 

Though he spoke into the empty kitchen area, there came a slight hum and then plates and a large stein appeared in front of him. With a chortle of pure pleasure, he began to work his way through the best food he’d had in a very long time. 

 

Tony hovered high above the apartment building he'd honed in on as the one Malaki had really moved into, ostensibly monitoring for unusual activity. What he was doing, though, was stalling. He was certain she was in that apartment, and so was Thor. Which was why he was hesitating. He could confirm it with one simple scan, though he refused to admit to himself why he hadn’t yet. An idea came to him, one that would allow him to get a baseline read of what was happening right now, without any unwanted images burned into his retinas. He spoke to his computer.

“Alice, scan the apartment below for energy outputs, specifically which room is using the most and what kind.” Pleased with himself, he waited, checking the empty Quinjet parked downtown. Still empty, meaning Nat and the rest were exploring whatever Malaki had set up in that apartment for them to find. He chuckled at that image just as Alice gave him the results of her scan.

“There is minimal energy usage in all rooms but one. The smallest bedroom, located between the outer room with the turret and the kitchen area is specifically shielded to prevent most scans. I have detected a large amount of data being processed however.” Tony noted she seemed rather pleased with herself. 

“How much data, Alice?” he asked, knowing she wanted him to ask otherwise she wouldn’t have mentioned it. 

“2 exaFLOPS, give or take a couple of petaFLOPS.” Alice replied, her smugness very noticeable now. 

Tony was glad he was flying instead of standing, or he might have fallen over. Even Jarvis had never ran at that power level. Nothing he knew of, officially, could run at anything even close to that power level, not the Sunway TaihuLight or Tianhe-2 supercomputers in China, or the Titan supercomputer in Tennessee. His own was actually faster than China’s, running at almost 95 petaFLOPS, while at last computation, the BitCoin network had just exceeded 1.15 exaFLOPS just recently, at least in raw computations per millisecond. He shook his head, stunned at that power level and the possibilities he could envision if he was able to get his hands on it. 

Still, to do that he would have to deal with Malaki and the thought of dealing with her is what had made him hesitate in the first place. Not that she scared him, or that was what he told himself. She was just so, he paused in his inner dialogue, trying to find the right word. Unpredictable. That was it, she was a variable of such an unknown quantity, he hadn’t had a chance to formulate the proper means to determine her behavior. He nodded to himself inside the Iron Man suit, pleased with his reasoning.

A moment later, the memory of her lips on his outside the restaurant last night, her body pressed up against his, no - melting into his as his melted into hers, had him groaning loudly and contorting in the air like he was being afflicted with spasms. His hands, encased as they were in the suit’s gauntlets, clanged against his helmet. The muffled sound and vibrations of the screen brought him to his senses, panting and aroused, to the point of serious discomfort in such a tight space.

“Do you require medical attention, sir?” Alice asked, as the suit’s air conditioning kicked up several degrees. 

Cool air blowing over his face, Tony shook his head, dislodging a bead of sweat to trickle down the side of his face. She affected him, he admitted, in ways he’d not been affected in a long time. Never like this, whispered his inner voice, though his heart denied the truth of that statement. He pushed aside past images that threatened to rise up and focused on the problem at hand. 

Admitting that he was nervous about facing her again, in the light of day, on her own chosen ground, was nerve-wracking in and of itself, but finding out she possessed superior technology as well as a mind devious enough to create a diversion that fooled one of the best agents he knew, just increased his tension. He wasn't sure why, until he stopped and considered it logically. The reason was Thor.

She’d taken Thor, God of Thunder, Asgardian and Norse deity, home with her instead of coming home with him. This thought hit Tony like as freight train. Deity of Norse mythology, God of Thunder, immortal. God. What did he have to compare to that? The voice in his head was yelling now, as loud as any professor he’d ever heard dress down a student. What was a kiss when held up against all that Thor was and represented? 

He trembled now, inside his suit hovering above her apartment, shaking and chilled to the bone. The suit responded to his body temperature dropping with the appropriate measures, cold air turning to warm. Alice murmured something and a prick at his wrist meant she was checking things like blood glucose and toxicity levels. Another pinprick, this one in his upper arm. He wondered what she’d given him.

“You seem to be suffering a severe anxiety attack, boss.” came Alice’s voice even as he did so, answering his question. “I’ve administered a mild sedative and some Alprazolam. You should feel better in a few minutes.”

Tony closed his eyes, waiting for the meds to kick in and smooth him out. Even the thought of Malaki seemed to send him into a tailspin but if getting into the apartment to see her meant dealing with Thor first, then he’d have to face that liked he had faced everything else that had come along so far. Minus the aliens, of course. Taking a deep breath, the trembling running down and off his limbs like rainwater, leaving behind a layer of mild disconnection that allowed him to find his DGAF attitude again, he aimed the suit toward the balcony, ignoring the voice that whispered, thankfully no longer shouting, that he was probably going to regret this.

 

Thor was halfway through his second round of breakfast when he heard the Iron Man suit land on the balcony. He tensed, knowing Stark had come here to see Malaki, and knowing that Malaki had already made it clear where her interests lay regarding Stark. As much as it frustrated him, he would respect her wishes and not interfere or risk their friendship. After all, he reminded himself, Stark was just a mortal, no matter how smart he might be. 

He smiled, sitting there in the large bath towel he’d wrapped around his waist at her behest, swigging his excellent ale, and waited until Stark had knocked at the French doors a couple of times before hollering across the room, “Yes, Stark! Come in, come in!”

Grinning as he turned to face Stark, wanting to catch the look on his face when he did enter the room and see him, Thor’s spin stiffened with a thrill akin to that of combat. In a sense, he was facing a very canny opponent and reminded himself to not discount Stark just because they weren’t facing each other physically. 

The look on Stark’s face wasn’t quite what Thor had expected, but he recognized it nonetheless. The smug arrogance and casual nod Stark gave him was as much a challenge as any snarl or taunt thrown out in battle. Responding with a smug smile of his own, he turned back to his food, lifting his mug for another swallow before addressing his opponent. “Greetings, Stark! How about some breakfast on this lovely morning?” A casual wave of his mug toward the other bar stool invited him to sit.

 

A smirk tugged at Tony’s mouth as he entered the living room and saw Thor sitting at the bar, wearing only a towel around his waist, quaffing down a large amount of ale and food. Asgardian though he was, he still looked like a man, and seeing this man here, looking like he’d just gotten out of the shower, dismissing him as not even important enough to stop eating and talk to, ratcheted Tony’s ire up several degrees more than he’d expected. 

He spun the bar stool around and sat, resting his hands on the back, ready to jump back if Thor reacted aggressively to what he was about to say. “Thanks. Looks like you’ve made yourself right at home. Using her shower, eating her food. Tell me, did you sleep in her bed too?” Tensing up, Tony tipped his chin up, almost wanting Thor to take a swing at him. He’d set his suit on defensive mode, meaning the slightest indication of violence against him would trigger an instant response. 

Thor chuckled and emptied the stein, set it down and tapped the lip. “More, please.” Tony’s eyebrow raised as the mug filled up again with the same golden brown liquid. A smug grin grew across Thor’s lips, followed by a throaty chuckle, as he glanced in his direction, took a couple of swallows then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “If by sleep in her bed you mean did we have sex?” He turned and smiled directly at Tony. “Yes, we did. Several times.” 

Nerves jumping, Tony noted that having short hair made Thor look more dangerous than he had ever before, plus his face was far more careworn that it had been when he'd last seen the Asgardian. Compared to last night, when he had first appeared, however, he was definitely more relaxed, more open, even while he sat here and practically taunted him. Tony nodded. “Well, you never were one to beat around the bush. So does that mean you’re sticking around for awhile?” he asked, wary and waiting for Thor’s anger or jealousy.

It didn’t come. Instead, Thor sighed, then tapped his finger on the counter. “Whiskey, neat,” he ordered. The shotglass appeared on the bar, filled with beautiful golden liquid. Handing him the glass, Thor raised his own mug and offered a toast. Tony responded automatically, tapping his shotglass against the mug. In tense silence, they downed their drinks. “Thanks, Tony,” Thor began, his voice softer now. “I wasn’t sure you’d drink with me.” He gave Tony a calm stare. “You seem to think I’m your enemy here. I’m not.” He smiled, lips pressed together now, hiding his teeth.

Watching him closely, Tony rolled the glass in his hands, picking his words with care. “No, but you are the competition at the moment. She kissed me, then brought you here. I'm left tracking her down like she's a fugitive. Now here you sit, bragging about…” he waved his hand, unable to say the words. “How do I know I'm really wanted here?” He shut his mouth, feeling like he'd been babbling away like a drunk.

To his surprise, Thor clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You shouldn't worry so much, friend. I'm sure every male, human or otherwise, has said or thought those words at least once in their life if they've been in a relationship.” He let out a short bark of laughter. “But you are a friend, and as such, I can assure you, you are here because she wants you to be. Else you wouldn't have found her so easily.”

Tony scoffed. This had been easy? That other word that Thor had used, it scared him, even as chilled out as he was. Was his emotions showing? The look that Thor was giving him was strange enough to make him wonder. A chuckle escaped his throat, a bit shakier than he would have liked, if he had a choice. In order to keep any more unwanted words from falling out of his mouth, he set the shotglass down on the counter and tapped the lip. “Scotch, neat. No wait, on the rocks.”

He smiled at Thor while his glass filled from thin air, his eyes serious. Picking up the freshly filled shotglass, he raised it in salute and took a sip. Divine flavor, he thought, though nothing he’d ever tasted before, which was surprising. He thought he’d tasted all the different scotches available on earth. The thought finished out before he realized where it was headed and left him gripping the glass tightly to keep from shuddering. 

“Oh, that’s good,” he exclaimed, drawing out the moment. Carefully setting the drink down, he turned back to Thor. “Is that it, then? You just want to give me some encouragement, some friendly advice?” He shrugged the Asgardian’s hand from his shoulder, his temper heating up now, a match held against an open fuel line. It would have been better if he didn’t feel so out of control. Like a pendulum swinging through the back arc. “Well, I don’t need it. Not for dealing with relationships, not for help with aliens, and definitely not for handling a woman. I can do that all by myself, just like I’ve done…”

His tirade was interrupted by Thor’s hand on his throat. The sensation of being picked up and all but thrown back against a wall by the God of Thunder was not a new one, though not one he’d been keen to repeat anytime soon. And here comes the regret, muttered the voice in his head as it and his shoulder blades thumped against the wall between the kitchen area and the master bedroom. Thor’s eyes were glowing, his face gone severe in a manner Tony had never seen it before.

“Hold your tongue before you say anything more and risk truly raising my ire, Stark,” he commanded. “I hear the tone of your voice and wish to warn you, I will tolerate nothing ill said against Malaki. She is one that I hold in higher esteem that even yourself and you should consider yourself fortunate to have drawn her attention. If you have a problem with that, you are more than welcome to walk away, but do not denigrate her with any breath you speak.” He paused, holding Tony’s gaze with eyes that flashed lightning in their depths.

Tony understood then that Thor was more than half in love with Malaki, but considered her most of all a friend. Like any true friendship, he was willing to go above and beyond to protect her, just as Tony would with Rhodes. Which meant he, Tony, was being an ass. In his defense, he was more than a little out of his comfort zone, although he knew once he got his balance, it usually resulted in extremely beneficial results on the part of all involved. Look at the Iron Man project. He took a deep breath and reached out to lay his hand on Thor’s bunched up biceps. “I’m sorry, Thor. Please, I promise to behave myself from now on.”

A wide smile spread across Thor’s whole face, lifting the mood. He set Tony down and smoothed out the wrinkles in the shoulders of his shirt, then laid both hands there and pulled him close. “Thank you, Tony,” he murmured. “I am glad you have chosen to see reason here. It is not an everyday thing for Malaki to become so enamored of a -” he paused and chuckled, then started up again, “of someone like you. She has been through a lot lately, including the last relationship she was in. It ended in some very bad blood.” He licked his lips, making Tony wonder why that seemed like he was enjoying a pun. “Please understand, I am choosing to step aside for you.” He looked directly at Tony again, his gaze softer now.

In his eyes, Tony could see emotions that he never would have thought to ascribe to the Asgardian. Pain, regret, longing and yes, love was there as well. One last question remained in Tony’s mind, one that he had to ask about. “Why me? Why not you? Why not someone from her own dimension? Although if that is where she was just recently, that means that this could be a rebound thing, and I really am not -” Thor shaking him gently stopped his words from rambling on.

“You are like a bonfire to her. I would be more like a star or a lightning strike. I have found this to be true for myself as well. Humans especially, they are so bright, so intense, they tend to draw us immortals like moths to the flame.” Thor stopped and his gaze dropped to the floor, a look of bemusement pulling his expression into a wry smile. 

Taking a step to the side, Tony was stopped by Thor gripping his shoulders tighter, tight enough to feel in the muscles of his trapezium. Thor leaned closer and half-murmured, half-whispered in his ear. “I will never come between you and Malaki, Tony. But know this, I swear by all that is holy in both our realms, if you do anything to hurt her, anything to bring her pain, no matter where you are, I will hunt you down and you will pay.”

The words hung there, weighty in their own right, given a life of their own by the solemn oath of the Asgardian. Tony felt them burrow down in his bones, settling in and making themselves at home there. Again he stood at the edge of an abyss, choosing whether to step off or step away. His contemplation of that darkness was only slightly interrupted by Thor reaching out to ruffle his hair, propelling him toward the door that stood next to the kitchen, the only door that was closed in the whole place. He wasn’t sure if he was going to his execution or into a whole new world, but steeling himself, Tony stepped through and into his new life.


	16. For the Soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Malaki, alone together at last, have a chance to get to know each other. ^_~;;

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Pardon Me by Incubus (video)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXzuDXZwZtI)   
>  [Just the song lyrics](http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/incubus/pardonme.html)

Malaki heard Thor’s invitation to Tony, heard the French doors leading in from the balcony open but not shut. She turned up the music coming in through her earbuds, not wanting to eavesdrop on their conversation. They were talking about her. She knew it because that's what guys did around her. They talked about her, to her, through her, around her. Posturing, warning, claiming, threatening, advising, begging, promising, and so forth and so on. Rarely did they talk with her, or listen, truly listen, to her unless she made them. All throughout the PMG, most males, of all races, seemed to have that problem.

She was sure it had something to do with the way she looked. It wasn’t a conceit on her part as she was fully aware of her appearance and how she’d been designed to look the way she did. She’d considered it both a blessing and a curse during her long life, but in the end, it was just another tool in her skill set. Very few people she had met over the years were able to get past it and under her skin. She hoped Tony could, though she was thinking his issue was more because she wasn’t from this planet than what she looked like. It was a hope she held out as a light to her ego. 

With everything she’d been through in her recent past, the betrayals, the manipulations - both by her and to her, the emotional distress of finding out the one she had been bonded to by blood - accidentally, but still irreversibly - who was the same one that had tortured her and then taken her to his world after discovering their bond, was the one being she’d trained all her life to destroy, but no longer could because of the blood bond - it was a surprise to her that she was feeling so drawn to this man, this human. If it was another manifestation of destiny trying to manipulate her, she was done with it. 

The loud thump against one of the walls, as though a body had hit it hard enough to shake something loose, caught her attention through the strains of whatever was playing in her ears. She’d gotten so lost in thought she didn’t recognize the song for several seconds as she listened for any screams or explosions out in the living room. When nothing more came to her, she turned back to the screen she’d been staring at for far too long, still holding out that light to herself. 

A new song [Incubus “Pardon Me”] started playing and the lyrics moved through her, appropriate and relevant so much so that she was willing to take it as a sign that this was where she was meant to be. If this is destiny, she thought, then she would ride it to the end. 

The song ended and there was a moment of silence in her ears and in her mind, into which the door opened. She spun around to look, and there he stood, disheveled and a bit rumpled with a look of dread excitement as he stepped over the threshold, his gaze meeting hers, sending a warm surge straight through her. He paused, hand on the doorknob, those bright, warm, intelligent eyes locked on her as though he expected her to pluck him up from where he stood, either to save him from drowning or devour him where he stood. She could do both, if only she could find enough courage to move from where she sat, drinking in the sight of him.

 

The sight of her sitting there, perched on a barstool in front of a wall of computers, screens creating a halo of light and pictures behind her, bright green eyes focused on him like laser sights, hit him full on, Hulk-style, leaving him weak in his chest, fighting to catch his breath. Her mouth gaped open as though he’d caught her by surprise, though how he could have done that with Thor throwing him around in the next room, he had no idea. He was still trying to catch his breath when she looked away, then spoke over her shoulder at him.

“Close the door please. You’re opening a hole in my shield.” her voice, husky and fraught with emotion, shot through him like one of Thor’s lightning bolts, weakening any resolve he may have mustered. He closed the door, a chuckle, sharp and short, escaping him, along with a murmured phrase. “No kidding. Same here.”

He shook his head a little as he turned to face her again. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d spoken truer words. The good thing, he told himself, was that he no longer felt like he was standing on the edge of the abyss. Instead he was freefalling into its depths, ignoring the fact that he had no idea how far down it went or if he even had a parachute. Seeing her sitting there, half turned away from him, the slope of her neck bare above the silken sea-green wrap clinging to her shoulders, he realized she didn’t appear human and wondered if he’d ever really considered her to be so in appearance. Yet, she had an air about her that drew him to her like a moth to a flame, to steal Thor’s phrase. 

A few steps took him closer to her chair and he tried to speak, but found his tongue unable to break loose of his teeth, not something he’d experienced often. He glanced around, hoping, looking for something to talk about, to break the ice so he wouldn’t start babbling about how stunning he found her right now, especially as he could now see she didn’t appear to have anything under the wrap. His eyes flicked to his right and his gaze was captured by the sturdy metal shelves filled with stacks of computer parts, all wired together and humming softly as they worked. 

“What exactly are you using all this computing power for?” He waved at the screens behind her. “Monitoring the media doesn’t require that much, even for in-depth analysis.” His hands found his pants pockets on their own, trained by years of him making sure they weren’t flapping about or hanging limply at his sides. He wished that he’d slipped his glasses on before walking through the door, as now it would be obvious and awkward for him to do so. Still, they did automatically track and record everything that passed in front of their camera lenses, which meant he’d get most of what she was looking at, if at a sideways view.

She looked back over her left shoulder, her gaze lowered, not really looking at him, just acknowledging him there. “Oh there’s more than just the media that I’m monitoring. The screens are for me to bring up anything that needs a more personal touch from what Shade finds.” She turned to the banks of computers on her right, treating Tony to a view of her profile from that side now. The corner of her mouth was upturned ever so slightly as she motioned to the stacked shelves. “Most of what she is doing is not presentable, as it’s just strings and equations.” She rolled her eyes towards him, catching his gaze from the closest corner. “You might be able to understand some of it, more than most anyway.”

Tony chuckled and ran his fingers through his hair. Now she was talking his language, though it was hard to focus on string theory in quantum computing with her legs showing so much skin as the wrap ended where they met the chair seat. Then she turned to face him and all thoughts of computational equations, what she was searching for, everything was, not gone, but pushed to the back of his mind to make room for the image of her there. Her hair was pulled over her shoulder in a multi-toned braid of intricately wrapped strands and her left hand played with the end while her right arm draped over the back of the chair, her wrist resting on the edge. 

Again he was caught between her not really looking human, despite the obvious similarities, and how she was affecting his libido. His heart rate, even with the drugs Alice had injected him with, had increased to where he could feel it pounding along his veins, beating in his ears, roaring at him from his still-breathless chest. The thoughts in his head stuttered and stopped until she waved languidly at the screens and gave a command.

“Shantze.” The screens changed from the frantic, flashing chaos they had been showing to scenes of hazy meadows and clear-running water. A soft melody underlain by the barely heard sounds of running water, replaced the low buzz that had pervaded the room, changing the mood to one of studied disinterest. Tony was sure it was supposed to make him feel calmer, but there was no chance of that with her there in front of him. The urge to reach out and run his hands over her braid, over the shine of her wrap, across the curves of her body beneath the wrap, was held in check by his hands in his pockets. He was grateful, if only for the chance of catching his breath.

 

Malaki was impressed. Tony had looked her over (she’d have been worried about her reading of him if he hadn’t), but for the most part, he’d maintained eye contact with her since entering the room. She hadn’t worried about him accessing her computer, there were countermeasures against that, but when she’d noticed the glasses hanging from the front of his shirt, a warning voice had prompted her to hide the images he’d asked about. She was currently running some searches that she wasn’t ready to share, especially right now. 

Again, she found it hard to move, hard to take the next step. It may have been fear of him rejecting her, as an alien being, not as a female, but it could also have been the fact that she was enjoying him watching her, meeting her eyes, his mind whirling wildly even as his body responded to hers.

Still, they couldn’t remain here, stalemated like the last two pieces of a master chess game. She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. “Did Thor hurt you?”

It took him a moment to process her question, the gears figuratively shifting behind his eyes. He smiled, a small rueful thing that briefly touched his lips and was gone, his hand raising to rub the back of his head. “I’ve had worse, and at his hands, even.” He looked toward the living room area for a moment, then returned his gaze to her. “He was just being protective. It’s to be expected.”

She wrinkled her nose and grinned at him. It was no surprise to hear him dismiss Thor’s actions. In her study of him, she’d found that despite his fears, Tony always wanted to see the best in people, even after everything he’d been through. She counted it as one of the reasons she was so attracted to him. Paired with his intellect, it made him a hard package to resist. 

“I’m glad you understand, Tony. He’s been a friend for a very long time now, so it would be awkward if you and he couldn’t get along because of me.” She waited, curious about his reaction to this open statement. 

He ducked his head and rubbed his neck, a light blush touching his cheeks to match the chagrin in his voice. “Yeah, he explained that very clearly to me, before I came to see you.” His eyes raised again to meet her gaze, softer now, less heated. He was breathing easier now as well, which helped her relax and find more words to say. Not that she didn’t want him still, want him touching her, holding her, but the danger of moving too fast, learned through hard experience, helped her to focus on easing back, on speaking to each other first, instead of giving way to their emotions and desires.

When he didn’t continue speaking, she waited a moment then asked, “What is it, Tony?”

He didn’t answer immediately, instead looking over her shoulder at the screens showing nature scenes, the sound of chirping birds now emitting from the speakers. “If you’re not gonna show me what you’re doing, can you at least turn off that sound?” 

His pained look was comical enough that she laughed and waved her hand again. “Kielsa, Shade. Tomen maz.” The nature scenes went away and the screens went back to the various graphs and numbers that had been zipping past at high speed before, interspersed with channels of news and other programs from around the world. This time the sound was just a murmur, like a crowded mall or an airport. 

Relief washed over his face. Malaki smiled and turned back to the keyboards, only to be stopped halfway by his hand on her shoulder. Looking back at him, she caught a glimpse of something that might have been a kind of pain but ended up as disdain twisting his mouth up into a slight sneer. “Can we go sit on the couch and talk? Maybe kick Thor out for a while?” He was attempting to sound so very casual about it, hiding the strain of asking her for privacy with a buoyant flair she was sure he’d used his whole life and never noticed. It tugged at her, a slight ache in her chest taking root with no notice given. 

“Sure we can. Give me just a moment here, okay.” She reached out and touched the corner of his mouth, instinct or concern, she wasn’t sure, prompting her to smooth out that twisted curve, ease it back into that shy smile she’d caught a peek of earlier. Rubbing her thumb over the corner of his mouth, the roughness of his facial hair sent a thrill back up her arm, raising goosebumps on her flesh. 

The touch of her thumb on the corner of his mouth sent a tingle through him, starting at his lips and spreading down his spine and back up and out to the tips of his extremities. A whiff of her scent teased his nostrils and he wanted more. Capturing her hand with his, he closed his eyes and turned against her wrist, breathing in deeply the cinnamon spice and fresh laundry scent he remembered from when they had been in the car together. Now that he’d had time to think about it, it reminded him of the desert in the early morning.

Malaki gasped, the touch of his lips against her wrist, one of her more sensitive areas, triggering heat from deep within her rising in response. Her balance off, she laid her free hand on his chest to stabilize herself. The beat of his heart beneath her palm drew her, called to her. Mouth suddenly dry, she licked her lips, trying to work up something to swallow, to ease the thirst she could feel building inside. He raised his head and gazed at her for the briefest of moments, a soft moan escaping his lips on a breath.


	17. Dazed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Erotic Heavy petting and major make-out, lots of it! Something is still freaking Tony out though.

They moved together, each to the other in unison, their lips meeting even as their hands slid and wrapped around the other’s body. Hers moved over his shoulders, pulling him close. His grasped her waist, half lifting her from the chair, causing her to wrap her legs around his as she worked to keep her balance. He leaned forward, allowing her to rest on the chair, but just barely, just enough to keep them upright, even as their mouths collided. 

The taste of her matched her scent, spicy sweet and fresh all at once. Her lips met his and captured them, her tongue invading him and inviting him to return the favor. He ran the tip of his around her lips, savoring every thrill of friction, every taste, every surge of her tongue against his. She moaned deep in her throat and kneaded her fist in the muscles of his shoulders and he could no longer resist, his tongue slipping in and tasting her fully. 

Beneath his hands, her silk wrap was so fine he could feel it catch on his hands, the frisson exciting him even as he wanted it out of the way. He wanted to feel her skin, feel her heat directly, instead of through the wrap. He tugged at it, only to have it resist his pull. Baffled, he pulled back, eliciting a soft whimper from her as their lips parted, followed by a low chuckle as she realized his bemusement. 

Malaki leaned back, sucking in cool air and offering the front of her wrap to Tony’s inspection. His gaze dropped to her chest and he smiled. Sliding his hands up over her ribs and cupping her breasts, he caught her nipples in his fingers and began massaging them through the fabric. The sensation had her arching her back and moaning, her hands gripping his shoulders, legs tightening around his thighs. She slitted her eyes open, watching him. The heat had returned to his eyes, joined by a blissful concentration, his lips parted as he watched her reaction. 

She squirmed and pulled him closer with her legs, hitching them up around his hips, wanting him to feel her heat where it would cause him to squirm as well. He shuffled a bit, readjusting his weight and leaned in against her. His own heat, generated by the firmness now between them, joined hers and she moaned again, kneading his shoulders and arching her back even more.

Tony accepted the invitation and lowered his head to take one of her nipples in his mouth, wetting the fabric there, biting gently on the hard button of flesh he’d captured. Another moan escaped her, along with a provocative thrust and wiggle of her hips against his, eliciting his own breathless moan as her heat pressed against his hardened shaft. His hands now braced around her ribs and under her shoulder blades, he thrust back with his hips and sucked hard on the captured nipple. 

Malaki curled around him, wanting to taste him even as he was pleasuring her with his mouth. The desire to have him, his flesh, in her mouth again brought out another moan, soon muffled as she found the spot where his neck curved into his shoulders. Her lips touched there and vibrated on the soft skin. She felt him shudder and dig his fingers into her back muscles. His mouth released its prisoner and began to make its way up to her own neck, then to her earlobe. His teeth on her ear brought shudders of delight shooting throughout her body as he teased it with nips and licks, chuckling with pleasure at her reactions. Unknowingly, he’d found one of the prime erogenous zones she had, and was taking full advantage now that he’d made his discovery.

Her body quivering under his, Tony eased back, not wanting to go too far just yet. In the back of his mind, he made a note of her reaction while he rubbed and petted her, soothing her with his hands. She rewarded him with another kiss, wrapping her hands around his head and all but devouring his mouth once again. When they came apart, both dragging in deep breaths as though they’d been under water, he glanced once again at the fasteners on the front of her wrap. 

They were fancy corded doodads, their cloth knots tucked through loops, charming to look at, difficult to slip loose. He was up to the challenge, though. Grinning at her, he slid his hands around to her front again, making sure her weight was fully on the chair. Her breathy laugh, soft and low in his ear, sent shivers up and down his spine, He ducked his head down, focusing on the top knot. His fingers made short work of the intricate fastener now that he could see it clearly. Slipping the knot free allowed the silken fabric to slide apart, revealing more of the curve of her breasts. 

His breath caught as he drew it in, leaving his mouth dry. He licked his lips and lowered them to kiss the curves, up one side and down the other. Her breath hitched as he traveled over her flesh, followed by another of those soft moans that shot through him and straight to the base of his manhood, causing it to throb with ever increasing urgency. 

Tightening his arms around her, he pulled her closer, sucking and nibbling at the soft flesh of her breasts. She responded with another nip on his neck, the pain just a tiny spark that fed his desire, stoking it even more, until he could no longer think of anything except her, no longer paid any mind to anything but the taste of her flesh, the heat of her beneath his hands and against his cock. It throbbed, he throbbed with the desire to have her, around him, on him, melting into his skin as he was melting into hers. The rest of the fasteners slipped free quickly as he tugged against them, allowing his mouth to find more of her flesh, which he was happy to taste. His hand braced on the chair, the back now turned to the side to give him more freedom to move her, he held her at the small of her back as his mouth ravished her breasts. 

He took her untouched nipple into his mouth and Malaki shuddered and arched against him, her arms taking the strain of holding her weight as he bent her backwards. Gripping handfuls of his shirt, she wanted to feel his flesh on her own, but resisted tearing the cloth. She could have made it vanish, like she’d done with Thor’s and her own, but wasn’t sure that her present state of mind would allow her to retain its shape so she could bring it back. With each touch of his lips, every swirl of his tongue on her nipples, shocks trilled through her, leaving behind shivers and an ache that was only soothed by his mouth returning on its roundabout journey over her body. The air on her flesh was cool, heightened by the dampness left as he traded attention from one breast to the other. 

It was a struggle, the act of thinking, of wanting to remove his shirt without giving into her wilder side. Then it came to her - buttons. Not taking the time to undo each one, but setting them free. The thought became action, her focusing of just enough power to dismiss the threads that held the buttons to the shirt only taking a mere second, then the shirt opened and she moved swiftly, taking advantage of Tony’s surprise to sit up and lean forward, capturing the hard nub of his nipple in her mouth and running the tip of her tongue across its top. 

Tony felt the cloth of his shirt pull apart and flinched, waiting for the ripping sound of buttons being torn free to follow. The shock of Malaki leaning forward to place her lips on his nipple, returning the treatment he’d been giving her, caught him off guard, leaving him quivering and grabbing her for support. The chair rocked beneath her, tugging her mouth free. She caught her balance, and his with it, a laugh bursting from her throat. With a toss of her hair, she looked up at him. 

He could see her desire burning in her eyes, the mischievous curve of her mouth an invitation to continue where they’d left off. He lowered his head and accepted, raising her mouth to meet his, his hand curved along her jaw, his fingers splayed on the length of her neck before slipping up to hold her face in his palm. Her cheekbone, the angle of it, was firm under the pads of his hand. The muscle of her jaw worked as she returned his kiss, the strength of it beneath his touch fascinating him, drawing his attention from the dance of her tongue around his. 

Alarms sounded deep in his conscious mind, emerging from his subconsciousness to blare their hollow alert as they rose. He tried to dismiss them, tried to return to the kiss, faltering even as he focused on her mouth, on her body as it curved and swayed against him. She tensed under his hands, alerted by his reaction that something was wrong. 

A burst of sound from the banks of screens blasted them, three rapid beeps followed by a sharp announcement, the words not making any sense to Tony even as he registered them as similar to those she’d spoken earlier. He looked up, his attention drawn by the sudden stillness of the pictures held there on three of the screens, words scrolling over them too rapid for him to follow, had he been able to read the language. The strange script still danced across his retinas as he pulled back, adrenaline clearing out the fugue of desire from his brain. 

Malaki was wondering what had made Tony pull back in the middle of their kiss when the notification went off that signified a match for one of her searches had been found. Glancing over her shoulder at the screens, she barked a sharp command at her AI, still baffled that Tony’s alarm had started even before the pictures had appeared. The screens went black at her command, and she turned back to Tony, her expression schooled to hide her dismay at this interruption. “Well, that was unwelcome.” 

She reached out to caress his cheek, only to have him rear back, his eyes wide. “Uh, um, I ah, have to…” he stammered, taking a step back. 

“Oh, Tony,” the words, not much more than a soft murmur, slipped out before she could guard her tongue and she bit her bottom lip, dreading his response. He shook his head and the glasses that had been holding onto his loosened collar hit the floor. Their clatter snapped his attention to them. He bent and retrieved them, his gaze avoiding hers now.

Turning away from her was the hardest thing Tony had ever done, even more than blowing up his suits for Pepper. His mind shied from that thought, avoiding more pain even as it continued to blare out the stupid alarm that had tripped his anxiety and was pushing him toward a door he didn’t want to go through, even as he was taking the steps to do so. Malaki’s gasp, so quiet it was more of a whimper, pierced his chest and lodged there, caught between his fear and desire. 

He watched his hand reach out and grasp the doorknob as though from a far distance, watched it turn under the pressure of his fingers and pull the door toward him. What part of him moved his body out of the way as the door swung inwards, made his feet step to the side and then towards the threshold, he wasn’t sure, only that he had no control over it, merely the power of observation. He was sure he’d have kept going, if her voice hadn’t caught him as he was stepping out of the room. 

“Tony, please,” her whispered plea hit him in the same spot as before, harder this time, “don’t…”

He wasn’t sure what she was going to say as she stopped mid-sentence, her voice catching and coming to an abrupt halt. Resisting the urge to turn and look at her, knowing if he did, he would not be able to walk away, he shook his head again, “I...I can’t. Not…” he dragged breath into his lungs, the past experience of being underwater coming back to him full-force. “Not…” he shook his head again, harder this time, “I…” 

Gripping the doorknob tight enough to turn his knuckles white and grabbing hold of the door frame with his other hand, he pulled himself through, stumbling as he came into the lighted room, momentarily blinded, weak from the fight to break free. His knees buckled and he braced himself, preparing to hit the floor, hoping there wasn’t a chair or barstool in his way as he went down.


	18. and Confused

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor helps Tony recover from his close encounter with Malaki.

Chapter 17 - and Confused - Tony & Thor

Strong arms caught him, wrapped around him and pulled him upright, then held him as he regained his footing. A familiar scent came to him, clearing the remaining fog from his mind. Thor's voice in his ear gave him the strength he needed to stand again.

“Easy there, Stark. Everything alright?”

It wasn't, but Tony nodded, holding onto Thor's shoulders in case his balance was off. When he remained upright and stable, he let go and opened his eyes. Light flooded in from the room, the French doors allowing the morning sun to fill every nook and cranny. Blue eyes the color of the highest point in the sky watched him, intense in their scrutiny. He stepped back, momentarily perplexed at Thor’s shorn hair, then remembered that was how he'd shown up last night. 

“I'm fine,” he forced a laugh, forced a grin as he made the statement, “just too much whiskey, too early in the morning.” Another laugh, a step toward the barstool nearby to prove it. His legs wobbled but he reached out and grabbed the chair's back, turning it and falling onto the seat, casually he hoped. He ignored the hand that hovered by his arm until he was seated, just as he ignored the pictures flashing in his mind of her on a similar chair in the room next to him. “Or maybe not enough,” he muttered.

Thor studied Tony, watching as he managed to make it to the barstool under his own power. He knew it wasn't the whiskey that had brought on this reaction. What it was, what it might be, had him worried, for Stark and for Malaki. He stepped in front of Tony and got his attention with a hand on his shoulder. “Look at me, Stark. You’re okay now, is that clear?” Tony nodded, though Thor was certain it was only a reflex. The important thing was to get him to believe it, to trigger that self-preservation that humans had in abundance. Leaning in closer, Thor peered at Tony's face, searching for signs that he hoped not to find.

Clear brown eyes met his briefly before glancing away while a disdainful sneer twisted Tony’s mouth. “I told you, I’m fine. Completely sober now. Want me to walk a straight line?” his question came off as snarky, which covered the fear hiding deep down inside, mostly. Shaking his head, Thor stepped back half a step and scanned Tony’s exposed skin for marks, from teeth or otherwise. Nothing stood out, except maybe a small bruise starting to show on Stark’s collarbone. He reached and rubbed his thumb on it, checking for blood.

Tony’s hand came up, automatic and defensive, slapping at Thor’s. “Hey now,” he started, then flinched at Thor’s touch. “Ow, that stings! What’d you do?” No response came, not in words, just a scowl that marred Thor’s forehead and curled his lips before being smoothed away by that goofy smile the Asgardian gave most everyone.

“Nothing, just checking out that hickey she gave you. Whew,” he grinned, though his eyes remained serious, “you should be proud of that one. Well,” he rubbed his hands together and then clapped Tony on the shoulder, a jovial chuckle coming out, only sounding slightly forced and only because Tony was paying close attention, “since you’re feeling better now, and since you and Malaki have decided to take things slow, you should probably head on back to the Avengers Headquarters, right? Meet your team there and find out what’s going on in the world?”

Finding himself being hustled up from his chair and towards the balcony, Tony half-turned to make a protest and caught the worried frown Thor was giving him. To his credit, the Asgardian quickly grinned at him, teeth gleaming in the morning sunlight. Straightening up and turning back to the door, a weird quivering feeling building in his gut, Tony nodded in agreement.

“Yes, yes we have. We are, I mean” he stumbled over words, still unsure of why he’d run, but backed by Thor’s reactions, now certain it had been the right thing to do. The thought of her though, brought pictures back to his mind, causing his breath to jam in his throat and his feet to stumble. A whack on his back by Thor unstuck his lungs and he sucked in a huge gulp of air, choking on it, which started him coughing. More pats on the back, softer but not by much, helped him remember how to breathe as they reached the open French doors. 

Thor turned him as they reached the door, then looked at him, his eyes darkened like the summer sky before a storm, before stepping in and wrapping Tony in a hug. Tony thought it was going to be awkward, hugging Thor while the Asgardian was mostly naked, except for the bath towel that thankfully hadn’t shifted or loosened at all. It was, just a bit, until Thor’s wrapped arms surrounded him and Tony could feel the benevolence of the gesture. He returned the hug, arms around Thor, until they stepped back and Thor nodded as though accepting Tony’s gesture. His hand still on Tony’s shoulder, Thor smiled amicably.

“Take care of yourself, Tony. We are like brothers, you and I, and I would fain see any ill come to you. Vertu vel núna. Blessa leið til að leiða þig heim.” 

Tony wasn’t sure, but it sounded like Thor was...blessing him? He’d almost never called Tony by his given name and the archaic words that Thor spoke carried weight, as thought imbued with power. Still, he couldn’t resist. “I’ve seen you and your brother, Thor. I’m not sure I want that privilege,” he quipped.

Thor laughed, a genuine sound this time, and shook him gently. “Don’t go stealing any artifacts with power stones in them and we won’t have to worry about that, will we?” He released him and stepped back, almost as though blocking Tony’s way back into the apartment. Not sure why it was so important that he leave now, when earlier it had been just as important for him to enter that room, with her and her long legs, those green eyes that seemed to swallow him whole and…

A grumble from Thor brought Tony back to himself to find the Asgardian's hand splayed against his chest, holding him in place, as he tried to take another step towards that room. The door was still slightly ajar, the darkness drawing his gaze. Another cough snapped him back again and Thor was turning him around, propelling him out onto the balcony. Tony called to the suit. “Alice, prep for return to home base.”

“And take Stark with you,” came Thor’s command. The suit opened up and Thor turned him around, giving him a push as he stepped back into the embrace of his armor. 

“Yes, Alice,” Tony commanded, now able to pinpoint that pull, that draw back to that room, now that he was aware of it, “take me with you.” The blast of the repulsors were a familiar surge under his hands and feet as they rose in the air, his suit and him. The sight of Thor standing there on the balcony watching him leave stayed with Tony the whole flight home, wondering how the Asgardian managed to look so damn regal in nothing but a overly large towel.

 

Malaki heard everything, heard Thor talking to Tony, heard Tony reply, their back and forth voices like chimes in her head. Her aching head, which she wasn’t sure why was aching so badly, except maybe because she was holding back her temper, like holding back a storm as it was building up to a breaking point. She figured this to be the most likeliest possibility as their words flowed past her ears without meaning, not truly registering in the pounding drum that was her head at the moment. The sound of the Iron Man suit firing up repulsors and blasting off was too much, too loud and she finally exerted enough energy to fling a blast of air at the door, slamming it shut.

 

Halfway across the living room, Thor jumped when the door slammed shut. Truth be told, he’d forgotten it was still open. Which meant - he groaned as he realized what it meant. It meant she’d heard everything that had been said out here. She’d heard Tony swear he was fine, blaming everything on too much drink. Heard him, Thor, speak to Tony as an equal, granting him a status that was usually reserved for those like her, or him. She knew he had reservations about Tony, but the way he saw it, if she believed in Tony, believed in what she saw in him, it meant he would respect her vision and treat Tony like he was worthy as well. He just hadn't thought out the whole thing before doing it. Well, he told himself, she might be too distracted to bring it up. Especially with what else was happening. 

That led him to ponder the door slamming shut, like it had. For that to happen without her coming through it, was bad. He wasn't really sure how bad, but he had heard stories of how she could get if things got out of control. She could be having a seizure from withdrawals, though that might be too soon. Tony hadn't been showing any symptoms of being affected by her...ailment. Though he wasn’t sure what those would look like, he was certain it wouldn’t be nice. He called his hammer to him. Mjolnir flew into his hand, and that's when he realized he was still naked. Fortunately, the towel had remained secured around his hips. It wouldn’t have been a first for him to be walking around naked, but Tony would have found it awkward and it would have been drafty. He smiled at the thought, amusement easing his worry a little. It would be best, he reasoned, if he got dressed before checking on her.

It didn’t take him long. He was well practiced in dressing quickly, especially when preparing for war...or a confrontation. Once he was dressed and armored, he made his way over to the door, still closed. He started to open it, then paused, called Mjolnir to him again. Hammer in hand, he grabbed the doorknob with his free hand. As he turned it, screaming and multiple sounds of breaking glass came through the soundproofing of the room. 

Thor paused, the knob twisted most of the way. He held the door closed and waited, then released the knob. Maybe he should knock first, he told himself. His fist rose to the middle of the door, but before he could rap on the wood, more screaming came, then suddenly silence. He waited, fist raised, for several minutes. No sounds that he could hear came to him. Deciding that discretion would be the best choice right now, he lowered his fist and walked over to the bar. “Ale, as large as you can make it,” he ordered. Quaffing it down and ordering another, he sat, Mjolnir on the counter next to him. He’d be here if she needed him, but no need to go thirsty while he waited.


	19. For So Long

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Malaki loses her sh*t for a little while. Thor daydreams and is rudely interrupted for an investigation.

In the darkened, shielded room, Malaki whirled and smashed her fists down on the keyboard closest to her, sending keys flying and bouncing everywhere as it cracked under the blow. 

“What in the nine Hells of Laoth’than did you do that for!?” she shouted at the bank of screens. A low hum, intermingled with clicks and soft beeps, pervaded the silence, then the same voice that had spoken amidst her’s and Tony’s passion came from the speakers. 

“There was a match on the information search that you have marked as most urgent. Therefore I announced it as soon as possible.” Shade, the A.I. that managed her computer system, sounded snobbish and disinterested, almost bored as she reported the issue. 

With a growl, Malaki clenched her fist chest high and threw a blast of air at the screens. Three of them cracked and flickered but maintained the pictures they’d been showing since Shade had made her announcement. “You shouldn’t have interrupted! Especially with those…” she snarled and waved at the scenes, “This is not something he was supposed to see!” The petulance in her voice was not pleasant to her ears, but Malaki was too pissed at the moment to care if she sounded childish. 

“You were losing control.” Shade’s simple statement made no sense to Malaki. She shook her head in denial.

“What? Who says?” Malaki queried her A.I., holding up her hands to the empty room. “You?” Tossing more blasts at the screens, she started to laugh, then stopped as it came out sounding more like a sob. “That’s none of your…” More screens crashed and fell from their mounts, as her temper got the best of her and showed itself in violence against her equipment.

“It was necessary.” Shade interrupted her, her tone firm.

“Necessary! Necessary?” Malaki practically shrieked. A small voice niggled at her in her head to keep it down or Thor might hear her yelling at her computer. It stopped when she yelled at it.

“You...were...LOSING...control!” Shade repeated herself slowly, raising the volume up to make herself heard over the screaming, emphasizing the one word. She sounded worried.

The words hit Malaki this time like a bucket of ice water, drenching her anger, freezing it, shattering it and sending it flying away with their impact. A sob did escape her throat this time and she had to catch herself on the edge of the counter that held the remaining keyboards. “Are you serious?” she whispered. She knew Shade wasn’t kidding, knew that the A.I. had only a small measure of humor and that was dark and twisted to the point of painfulness. 

“You bit him.” The statement, delivered in a terse monotone, brought Malaki’s head up from the counter where she’d let it drop. 

“FUCK! Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck! FUUUUU...” she exclaimed, then stopped as a horrifying thought occurred to her. 

“Did I...” she had to stop and lick her lips, take a couple of swallows to loosen the sudden tightness in her throat, before continuing, “Did I draw blood?” Her gaze caught the broken screens and dropped down to stare at the keyboards, watching her fingers knot together as she waited for the answer.

The tone eased to a softer pitch with Shade’s next words. “I couldn’t tell. I suggest checking for yourself.”

Malaki hesitated, then ran her tongue around the inside of her mouth, digging the tip in and behind her teeth. She found blood. Not much, but enough to spark and zing down the middle of her tongue, sending a wave of thirst and longing flooding down to her belly. She groaned and flopped into the seat of the barstool, laying her forehead down on the table top. 

His blood was in her teeth now and her hunger had awakened, for the moment no more than an ache in her bones and a thirst in the depths of her belly, but it would grow, especially if she did nothing about it. This complicated things, so much more than she’d planned. She cursed the names of certain persons who had brought this on her. Cursed them long and low and hard, muttering the words under her breath as she focused on the broken screens and manipulated their elements to repair the damage she’d done in her temper tantrum. 

Shade remained quiet until the screens were once again working properly. She knew Malaki hadn’t been fully in her right mind when she’d broken them. The fact that Malaki hadn’t remembered biting Tony Stark spoke volumes about her state of mind. Shade would never have interfered for anything else but that. Once the screens were back to normal, she questioned her, needing more information.

“You were supposed to take care of this before setting out again. Why didn’t you?”

Malaki squirmed in her seat and tapped on a couple of keys, bringing up the in-depth analysis of the information that had interrupted her. “I got distracted,” she finally admitted, her thoughts briefly flitting back to images of the man who she’d met that had been so distracting, that had in fact been the reason why she’d come to this dimension. 

By the curve of her mouth and the gleam in her eyes, Shade judged it to have been quite the distraction. Still, rules were rules and Malaki had agreed to these so she would be allowed her freedom. 

“You know I hate being your watchdog, right?” Shade asked, half scolding, a sigh of tolerant reprimand echoing behind the question. Actually, Shade loved it for the most part, just not when she had to reign her in or bring her to task. Malaki was willful and chaotic and never more disobedient than when she was being told what to do. Especially when she knew it already. 

The sigh Malaki released was one of reluctant acquiescence tinged with regret. She smiled ruefully at her A.I., knowing the truth. “Fine, I’ll take care of it as soon as possible.”

“Promise.” It wasn’t a request.

“I promise. First, I need to get out to that site and see what’s left. If it’s what I think it is, the Avengers are gonna need all the help they can get.”

 

The door opened, silent on its well-oiled hinges, the movement catching Thor’s attention as he raised another stein of ale to his lips. Resisting the urge to drain the mug, he set it aside and stood, waiting for Malaki. She came out of the room looking exhausted and tense, rubbing her forehead. When she saw him standing there, waiting for her, she stopped and hung her head, but not before he caught a glimmer in her eyes that might have been tears, if he was inclined to think she would allow any to fall. Without a word he opened his arms, inviting her to him, no judgement, no criticism. 

Malaki was in Thor’s embrace before she could think, afraid to think anything as that might cause her to hesitate when all she wanted was a shoulder to cry on right now. Two soft pats on her back later and he was wrapping his arms around her shoulders and holding her tight against him. For several long moments, even with her face buried in the crook of his shoulder, all that came out of her was dry sobs. 

Taking a step back, she bit her bottom lip and took a deep breath, then looked up at him. “Is Tony okay?” 

Thor had braced himself for the question but it still stung with no thanks to preface it. He sighed dramatically. “As well as can be hoped for, all things considered,” he intoned solemnly, doing his best to not crack a smile at the widening of her eyes. She deserved to be teased, he told himself. The guilt in her eyes didn’t let him draw it out too long. Relenting, he gave her a squeeze on the shoulder, smiling at her as she glanced down for a moment. When she looked back up at him, she had that glimmer in her eyes again.

“I'm sorry, Thor,” she murmured, “I've made a bad mistake.” 

He grinned at her, willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. “Do not worry, astvinur,” he murmured, reaching out to caress her cheek. She caught his hand in hers and rubbed her cheek against him palm. He felt that same stirring in his loins that had blossomed this morning in her bed as he leaned over and kissed her, murmuring as he did, “I will always…”

 

A loud smack of a hand on leather echoed in his ears, while simultaneously, his equilibrium shifted and his feet hit the floor. He opened his eyes to find Malaki staring at him as she leaned on the barstool where his feet had been propped.

“Are you entertaining lewd thoughts about me, dude?” She grinned, a chuckle taking the sting from her words, even as he noticed his ankle was burning with the mark of her hand through his boot leather.

“Dude? Did you punch my ankle? Why would you do that?” He stood up and stretched, then finished off the warm mug of beer still sitting on the counter. 

“It’s a universal phrase. Means...well...friend, or compadre, or…” 

Thor interrupted her before she went off on a tangent, “I know what it means. I’ve been here on Earth several times now in the modern age. Why punch my ankle?” He scowled, remembering what he had been dreaming of when she’d awakened him so rudely.

“You were dreaming, and doing some vivid imagining of me and you and I figured that’d be the best way to stop you before it got out of hand.” When he gave her a glare for her wordplay, she winked and laughed at his scowl. “You should guard your thoughts better, vinur, you never know who might be listening.”

Thor rubbed his chin thoughtfully and nodded, then nearly jumped in surprise when she stepped forward and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for being here, my friend. I really appreciate it.”

 

Malaki caught the surprise in Thor’s eyes as she kissed his cheek. It stung a bit to think that he might not expect her to be her usual affectionate self just because of Tony. If that dream he’d been indulging himself in had been any indication, though, she’d have to watch for signs of jealousy as that could have dire consequences for the team. She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him. 

“You really are the only friend I have here right now, Thor. Don’t ever take that lightly. That means more to me than anything else, ever.” Letting go of his neck, she stepped back, but only a little and breathed in deep as she stood there close to him. His ozone fresh scent filled her lungs and rejuvenated her as it always did. 

A soft noise brought her attention to his face. His gaze on her was thoughtful, revealing his emotions for a moment before he grinned at her and caught her up in a bear hug. “You are the best, and don’t you ever forget that!” He swung her around a couple of times, then set her down and stepped back. “Are you alright? You seriously had me worried there for a little bit.”

“Yeah, I am. Thanks.” She nodded, nibbling at her bottom lip. “Well, not really,” she amended, tossing her hair back and giving him a shaky smile, “but that’s something to be dealt with at another time. For now,” her smile broadened into a mischievous grin, “we have an abandoned silo in Siberia to check out.”


	20. It’s Not True

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "He wants to beat us, he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience." Tony Stark, The Avengers

Helmut Zemo received his first visitor the day after the first anniversary of his incarceration. Oh sure, he'd been visited by lots of people before, but they were only there to see what they could get out of him. He knew what day it was because he had always kept a calendar in his head to track important events. It was something his father had taught him. 

Another thing his father had taught him, many years ago while hunting in the mountains that surrounded Sokovia, was patience. So he was able remain silent when his visitor came. Silent and still, waiting for the man to talk, to tell him what he was there for, what he wanted Helmut to give him. The stillness, that was also a gift. His father had shown him that when hunting, stillness gave the advantage, allowing one to get close to the target, or the target to draw close to you. 

He remained still, even though he wanted to talk, wanted human contact, even if it was just another voice. It had surprised him how much he missed being amongst people. It wasn’t like he’d been a sociable person before, but being out in a crowd, feeling that energy, had always given him a thrill. Here, locked in this chamber deep within this place, with only agents coming to see him, coming to question him, study him, he had grown restless. Just as with the agents, though, to speak first meant giving up the advantage.

They waited, his visitor remaining in the shadows of the room, for almost fifteen minutes, before the man chuckled. He laid a thick manila folder on the table and tapped it a couple of times. 

“You are indeed a tough nut, Zemo. That’s good. That’s why I’m here. I’ve got a proposition for you.”

Helmut kept his expression neutral, despite the excitement that had bloomed in his chest at the thought that he might be able to get out of this chamber, maybe even into a regular cell. At least he could lay down to sleep. He waited a few minutes before responding, maintaining his advantage. “Stranče, da me imate na milost i nemilost. Ali da iskoristi zatvorenika, koji pokazuje svoju pravu prirodu. Hoćeš li me maltretira previše?”

[I am at your mercy, stranger. But to take advantage of a prisoner, that shows your true nature. Will you mistreat me too?]

The man laughed out loud. “A skilled negotiator. Good!” He clapped his hands together a couple of times in a parody of applause. Leaning forward, he grew serious once again. “We need to talk. About you. About your country.” A casual wave at the unit that held Zemo secure in this underground facility. “About getting you out of there and back to doing what you do best.”

Helmut licked his lips. He couldn’t help it. The taste of freedom was in the air and he suspected from the man’s words, if he played his cards right, he’d have a lot more freedom than he’d ever known. The aching hole that existed in his soul would never be filled, but the Avengers were still out there, and if they could walk around free, then he should be able to as well. “Get me out of here and we’ll discuss what we have to offer each other.”

The man nodded. “I’m glad you can see the right choice, Colonel. Expect to be free within the hour.” 

He turned and walked out the door, leaving Helmut with the impression of a hard jawline and an even harder glint in eyes that had barely been visible. Helmut was fine with that. Hard men were predictable, easy to determine what they wanted and how to give it to them. 

He started smiling and was still smiling an hour later as he was released from the enclosed chair and taken to a small conference room deep in the bowels of the facility. There a meal waited for him, along with another manila folder. This one was a dossier with six profiles, all of which he recognized, though why they were in there had him perplexed, seeing as all six were dead. 

He ate the meal and waited, wondering if the man, his visitor, would show up personally or delegate that responsibility. His smile remained, smaller now, but each time another lackey showed up to fill his coffee or offer him dessert, which he always declined, he could feel his power growing. If the man that had come to visit him thought that by making him wait it would make him nervous or easier to manipulate, then let him think that. 

By the time the man walked through the door, followed by three aides and two armed guards, Helmut was sure most of the day was gone. The man had a scowl like he was running short on time, another telltale sign that he truly didn’t understand who had the power here. The aides set up their laptops and notebooks and placed a cup of hot coffee in front of their boss, but not him. The man, dressed like a politician but standing, moving, acting like a soldier, drew out the chair across from him and sat, balance forward, elbows on the table, hands clasped together in front of his mouth. “Well now, Zemo. Let’s talk about what I want from you.”

Helmut smiled again, slow and vicious. “I would like another coffee and some dessert, please.” He didn’t look at the man, but instead at the aide that had given the man his coffee. The aide jumped up before even thinking about it and grabbed the pot of coffee and the plate of pastry that had been on the sideboard all this time. The scowl on the man’s face and the fact that he didn’t reprimand his aide told Helmut just how much this man needed him for whatever he had in mind. He ate the Danish he picked out in silence, waiting to see if the man would interrupt him. When he didn’t, Helmut’s estimate of him rose a couple of notches.

When Helmut finished, the man spoke, his voice brash with restrained emotion. “Now that you’ve made your point, Zemo, we can talk about your situation or you can go back to your cell and never see the light of day again. Agreed?”

Helmut nodded, pleased with the statement. He was still in charge, as proven by the way the man was asking him instead of telling him, but the man thought he’d agreed to obey him now. This was proving to be very interesting. “You have my full attention, General.”

The man smirked. “It’s Lieutenant-General, and I had better.” He pulled out a file similar to the one that had been on the table waiting for Helmut to go over, but when it was opened, Helmut could see his profile as the one on top. “Your skill set, Colonel, covers an extensive repertoire of abilities. Not to mention what you were able to accomplish with Barnes and that Winter Soldier programming.” The man, the Lt-General, smiled at this and nodded, pleased with what he saw in the report in front of him. “What I need from you is very similar, but not so...unpredictable.” He grinned and leaned forward. “Interested?”

Helmut kept his expression pleasant, but inside him, his heart was pounding and his stomach was doing flip-flops. “Tell me something, sir,” he made himself breath out through his mouth and in through his nose, maintaining his calm demeanor only because of years of practice, “What about The Avengers?”

The man chuckled, a nasty sound that held no amusement whatsoever. “They’re still out there, Zemo. Free to do whatever they want. Sure most of them signed the Accords, but Captain America and Barnes, they didn’t sign. Makes them fair game. Makes them liable. You’d have full backing of the United States government, sanctioned and licensed, for whatever assignments you are given.” He paused and grinned again. “Like I said, interested?”

Helmut smiled fully now, his curiosity satisfied for the moment. In his gut he could feel the anger building again, the same pain carving a hole in his belly like it had after Sokovia, after Ultron and The Avengers had destroyed his world. “Absolutely, sir. When do I start?”

The man, former Lieutenant-General of the United States Army, now Secretary of State, Thaddeus E. “Thunderbolt” Ross, held out his hand to Helmut as he rose to his feet. “You just did.”


	21. Wanted a Woman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alice takes Tony out to his new place in Greenwich, Connecticut. Tony decides he is ready to get back to a "normal" life.

Tony came to an awareness of his surroundings as Alice was landing the Mark 52 on an immaculately manicured lawn stretching out languorously in front of a large, traditional-style estate house. The uniform green was bisected by a driveway the color of sand that proceeded to wrap around a dry fountain and pass in front of wide steps leading to the main doors before wandering off to the right and disappearing down a tree lined road. One could only assume it led to a garage and possibly other buildings on the property, wherever it was. He was at a loss as to where Alice had brought him, the only certain thing being, he'd never been here before.

“Alice, where am I and why did you bring me here?” Nothing like admitting his lack of knowledge, he griped to himself. He didn't remember the trip here or he would have questioned her earlier, obviously. What he'd been occupied with, he couldn't remember clearly, just that it involved resisting the urge to turn back as well as suppressing emotions that threatened to overwhelm his rational thought.

“We're at your home, Mr. Stark. Just as you ordered back in Richmond.”

He thought she sounded rather smug about her reply and wondered why he had programmed her with so much attitude. “How is this…”

“Your home? You purchased this property three months ago and designated it as Home when the sale was completed. Would you like me to pull up the scanned copy of the sales contract?”

“No!” Tony scoffed, “That won't be necessary.” So much attitude, he thought, contemplating how he might have to dial it back a couple of degrees. “Do I have a key?”

“You had electronic locks installed as part of the closing requirements, Mr. Stark. The code is - “

“Don’t tell me the code, Alice. This area might not be secure.” Tony was sure there wasn’t anyone around monitoring his communication with his suit A.I. but he didn’t want her giving him a code that he should know, so he made the excuse and racked his brain for some little bit of information he must have tucked away three months ago, ignoring the suit readout of the security scan Alice had ran as she was landing. 

He triggered the suit release on the landing near the front door and stepped out, activating sentry mode as he reached for the keypad. His finger paused for just a second before he punched in a code - 78265. The pad lit up green and beeped as the door lock clicked. Turning the knob he smiled and shook his head. Only Rhodey might get that code, echoed the thought in his brain, same as it had when he’d set it up three months ago. He’d recalled it because he found himself wondering if he had listed this house under his own name or under an assumed one, then he remembered the delivery guy calling out a mangled version of his name and that was what had inspired the code. He still wasn’t too sure about the actual listing of the house and wasn’t in the mood to read legal documents to find out right now.

The door opened on an empty hallway, the floor done in white tiles with black diamond accents. It was bright in here, the sunlight coming in from the windows inset above the door as well as the doors at the other end of the hall to reflect off the bright yellow-gold of the walls, filling the whole area with a peaceful glow. A staircase ran up the right side of the hall and more sunlight spilled down its railings, adding to the golden air of the room. 

Silence pervaded the whole house, the mere creaks and shiftings of air as it moved through the house only deepening the stillness. It crept into Tony’s heart, into his chest and slid down his limbs, encasing him in quiet solitude. He breathed deeply - one breath in, hold it, let it out slow and easy - closed his eyes for a moment, allowing a most unusual feeling to fall around him, drape over him, cover him up and warm places inside him that he hadn’t known were cold. He was home. 

Drawing another deep breath, he pulled out his glasses, touched the switch to activate them, and spoke into the air. “Okay, Alice, I need schematics of this place, top to bottom, load bearing walls marked as well as whatever is hiding underneath in the basement. Contact the people that worked on Stark Tower and get them to send a crew down here right away. I’ll need a full lab, full vault, furniture, clothes, food and drink, the works.” He paused and dialed up the Quinjet that Nat had assigned to her, checking its location 

“Send invites to my team. Tell them we’re having lunch. It is still lunch time, right?” He glanced at his watch. It wasn’t even 11 am yet. Shocked at that, he paused in his monologue and thought about what had happened this morning. It wasn’t like he’d never been with someone like her, as ever since he was a young man, his libido had been ratcheted higher than anyone he knew. Rhodey used to joke when they were in college that the reason Tony was so smart was because he thought with two heads instead of just one.

Now though, Tony was hard put to silence that one head and focus on the facts surrounding the situation. It was the only way he knew to regain control. Of what he wasn’t exactly sure, just that even as he thought of her, here over 400 miles away from where he’d left her, he could still smell her in his nostrils, taste the flavor of her mouth, feel the heat of her along the length of his body. His fingertips remembered the touch of her under them, the frisson of running over her skin, causing the same reaction in his loins, the same tightening as he grew hard just thinking about her. 

The ringing of his phone in his pocket burst through his trance, breaking him free of her spell. He gasped for breath and scrabbled at his pocket with fingers gone numb to pull the phone out in time to speak to whoever it was calling him, liberating him. It slipped and tumbled between his fingers for a few seconds before he managed to catch it and wrap it up in his hands. Even though he knew it was not likely to break, due to the special material he’d used in making it, he still felt a light sweat cover his face. Heart racing from the tension of nearly dropping his phone, or so he told himself, he answered the call.

It was his contractor from New York, calling to confirm the location for their local crew to come out and meet with him about the renovations he wanted done on the house. That was followed by the decorator, followed by more contractors and suppliers, until he’d pretty much lost track of who all he’d said yes to, and was certain he’d spent way more than intended, but didn’t care. It was all worth it to him, because he still felt that feeling, that calmness that had begun when he walked in the front door. 

A lull in the calls came and Tony realized he was going to be soon swamped with crews of people coming to fulfill his orders and bring everything to the house. In the few moments of quiet, he summoned the Iron Man suit to him, there in the kitchen. He wagged a finger at the suit and the left arm opened up. Laying his forearm in the cavity there, he waited until it closed over his limb. “Take some blood, Alice. Enough to run full blood panels and DNA tests as well as anything else you can come up with.”

“What are we looking for, boss?” For once, she didn’t sound snarky. Tony wondered what she was doing that was taking so much of her attention.

“Looking for something. Hopefully something that can be found.” The image of Malaki, shadowed and back-lit by computer screens flashed in his mind for a microsecond before he yanked his attention back to his blood being drawn by his suit. Had she been a little rougher than usual? He wouldn’t put it past her. 

“That’s helpful,” she replied. Tony grinned as the snark came out in Alice’s statement.

“Look for anything and everything that isn’t me. Isolate anything you find and then look some more. There’s something going on inside me that is - “ he stopped short of saying it was driving him crazy, though without any other basis of comparison, he thought it might be actually doing just that. Considering that his actions since meeting her had been all focused on arranging it so they could get together, he wondered if it was some kind of chemical attraction.

“That is making you focus all your time and energy on her, to the exclusion of everything else, including your work and your team. Is that what you were going to say, boss? Because that would describe what has been happening, from my point of view. If you care to know, that is.” Alice sounded put out, especially toward the end of her statement. “Sounds like you’re in love. Classic symptoms, textbook case.” 

Tony was dumbfounded at his A.I.’s outburst. He’d only ever been addressed that way before by JARVIS, and even then it was with more respect. He was staring at the Mark 46, waiting for the blood draw to finish and wondering if he was going to need to override Alice to get his arm loose. 

“You aren’t jealous, are you, Alice?” He wasn’t sure what made him ask, and then he was almost certain he should have waited until his arm was free before doing so. 

“Of course not, boss. What do I have to be jealous of? She may not be human, but she is no machine.” His arm was released as she stated this, and he could have sworn there was a bit of a snobbish sniff at the end of her words. If not for real, then definitely implied. 

Pulling his arm free, he rubbed his wrist where the needle had done its work. It hurt more than the spot on his neck where Malaki had given him a hickey. Thinking about that, he loosened the collar of his shirt and held the fabric back from his skin. “Alice, take some pictures and scans of this mark on my neck, as well as a sample of the skin, please.” 

Surprising to Tony, she didn’t make any more comments while running through several scans of his hickey. Once she was finished, he buttoned up his shirt and ran a hand through his hair. He was going to need some personal items if he was planning on staying for more than a night, and he was. His alarm beeped on his watch and he glanced at the time. 12:30, time for the crews to start arriving. 

“Alice, take the Mark 46 over to the garage, please, and keep out of sight.” No need to give out any unnecessary information about his identity just yet, he thought as she left through the back door, firing repulsors just enough to hover across the lawn and into the trees. Just in time too, as his phone started ringing again and the sound of vehicles became noticeable as they rolled up the driveway. 

Here we go, he thought, rubbing his hands together as he made his way to the front doors. He realized it had actually been quite a while since he'd played at being the rich eccentric and found himself looking forward to it. An enthusiastic grin plastered his face as he threw open the door to get back to his old life.


	22. Never Bargained

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While waiting for his house to be remodeled, Tony runs some tests to figure out what happened between him and Malaki during the make-out session. Natasha and her team show up for lunch and bring along a welcome friend.

After an hour had past, with people literally everywhere and noise racketing throughout the entire house as crews worked and people shouted and things got done, Tony retreated to the garage. There he was pleasantly surprised to find a separate one-bedroom house attached to the back of it, where Alice had ensconced the Mark 52 and set up shop for him. It wasn’t anything more than her scanning and analysis gear taken from her frame and set up on the kitchen table, but it made him glad he had designed her to be modular. 

While he ran tests and scans on the minutiae he had collected for whatever had happened between him and Malaki, she was standing watch as a fully functional guard, making him feel safe enough to lose himself in the work. Not that he didn’t wish Bruce was here to help. Tony missed his comments and wry sense of humor at times like this. 

He missed his colleague even more when he received the test results. He ran them again to make sure he was actually seeing what he thought he was - or rather, not making this up in his anxiety-riddled brain. When the 10th and 12th set of tests and scans all corroborated with what he had seen in the first few, he finally accepted the results as legitimate. Now the question became, what could he do about it? 

The list of people who would believe him if he contacted them with these results was short. He was going over them in his head when Alice sounded a warning chirp. 

“Chirp? Did I program that for your alarm?” Tony asks the Mark 52, straightening upright to walk over to the window. “What kind of warning is that, anyway?”

“You have visitors, and they aren’t necessarily hostile, except a couple of them might be. I wasn’t sure how to announce that.” The machine flexed one shoulder, like she was shrugging, and turned back from the doorway between the kitchen area and the living room, stopping when she was in a position to restrict access to Tony. He tilted his head, curious as to where she’d picked up that movement. He was going to have to run a detailed diagnostic on her once everything settled down, he told himself.

Stepping back from the window, he started towards the doorway, his anxiety at facing his visitors spiking, only to stop when Natasha’s voice came from the other room. “Tony, I don't know what your suit thinks it’s doing, but tell it to let us pass.

“She,” Tony laughed as he corrected Natasha. He decided that leaning against the table and letting everyone come to him was probably better for his anxiety than stepping through the doorway and confronting who he suspected was in that room. “Alice, let them pass.”

“Yes, Boss,” she quipped, taking one step to the side. He could hear the pout in her tone telling him she wasn’t happy about the order. She stayed on guard, which helped to ease the constriction around his chest, knowing she was there and ready.

“Why are they always girls?” Natasha asked as she steps through the doorway, automatically scanning the room as she walked over to stand in front of him.

“Female, at least in voice. It helps me feel safe.” Grinning, he reached out and patted her on the shoulder. “Women have always been my best protectors. I see no reason to change that now.”

Natasha nodded, knowing that since Jarvis had disappeared in Vision’s creation, Tony had deleted all his male AIs except Dum-E. She didn’t blame him. Sometimes one had to eliminate painpoints instead of facing them. 

She looked up at Tony, wondering what had happened. The last she had heard, he was heading across Richmond to find that woman, and now, here he is, hiding out in a bungalow while a huge crew of contractors tore apart and rebuilt his main house. A house she hadn’t even known he had bought. She must be slipping, the thought occurred to her. First the trap at that apartment and now finding out Tony has a hideaway mansion in Southern Connecticut. 

“Where is she?” Natasha goes straight at Tony with her question, not one to flinch from the jugular. His flinch at the interrogative jab spoke volumes on the state of his nerves, making her want to ask for more details. She pinned him with her narrowed glare, noting that while he gave off signals of being shell shocked, he was more engaged than he had been in months.

Before he could answer, the rest of the team started coming through the doorway. As much as he hated to admit it, the sight of Steven Grant Rogers filling that doorway made his chest feel a whole lot lighter. Not that he was planning on telling him or anyone else that he felt that way. The feeling didn’t last long though. Right behind Steve, so close he nearly stepped on the heels of his tennis shoes, was Sam Wilson, no surprise there. Then that guy stepped through and suddenly, Tony felt the pressure of trying to keep his cool in here, his new place, instead of ordering the Mark 52 to unload her full arsenal at the spot where he stood. 

Bucky Barnes, the infamous Winter Soldier, stood there looking simultaneously like a dog that had been beaten for stealing his owner’s dinner and as defiant as any wolf. Never had Tony seen such a hanged-dog expression, although Steve was competing very well with one of his own. Steve’s was ruined by the fact that while his face was pleading with Tony to allow his friend some leeway, his body language was yelling that it was ready to defend his friend against all comers. 

Nothing new there, but Tony had had many months and some sleep recently that made it possible for him to take a few breaths before he lost his cool. The scent of fresh linen and sunshine came to him, reminding him of when he was in the car with Malaki. He breathed deeply, waiting for that faint whiff of spice. It didn’t come of course, as she wasn’t there with him now. The ache was unexpected. He wasn’t ready to miss her yet. 

“Hey!” He snaps his fingers at the both of them, three really, counting Sam. “Look at me!” 

When all three of them were looking up and meeting his gaze, he held out his finger, pointing at each of them in turn. “Listen up! I am not ready to deal with this right now. You,” he singles out Steve, “need to take your friends and go patrol or something while I work on this,” he waves vaguely at the kitchen table. “You,” pointing at Sam, “go with him and keep him out of trouble. And you,” Tony glares daggers at Bucky, who manages to look even more dejected than he had been already, “I’m not talking to you. I know, logically, there were extenuating circumstances to everything you did, but it’s just,” he pauses and takes a deep breath through his nostrils, “just go with Steve and keep your head down.”

The three guys turn to head out and Tony feels the urge to take one last jab at them, just because they had the nerve to be here today. “Bucky, right? It’s Bucky, yes?” He waits just long enough for the man to look over his shoulder at him, then flashes his fingers in a V from his eyes toward Bucky. “I’m watching you. Go!” He waves them all out and turns back toward the table, walking over to it as Natasha watches him, her arm folded and a bemused look on her face.

“Wow, that was…” Natasha starts off slowly.

“Petty? Yep, that it was.” Tony grabs a bottle of water from the fridge and steps back to the table. “It would have been nice if you could have brought someone to help me out, instead of antagonizing me.” 

“Well, if you’d let me talk instead of having a pissing contest with…” she sounded amused as she started to speak again.

Tony couldn’t help it. He interrupted her again. “Pissing contest? That’s not very nice to say. I was just establishing my authority.” He smirked at her, knowing she was right and not even caring one bit that he had been petty. 

“Like I said, if you would let me finish,” she pauses to see if he is going to let her speak. When he does, she grins and points back at the doorway. “Who’s to say I didn’t.”

Tony turns back to the doorway, wondering who could it be that she thought would make a difference. Shock and happiness competed for space as the frame was filled by the slight figure of Bruce Banner. 

“Hi, Tony. Need some help with something?” Bruce lifted a hand and dropped it, resting both hands on his hips and grinning that goofy grin that Tony had missed more than he’d realized until now.


	23. For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Malaki and Thor go to Siberia and begin an important conversation.

Previously (Chapter 18) - _[Malaki] flung her arms around [Thor’s] neck and hugged him._

_“You really are the only friend I have here right now, Thor. Don’t ever take that lightly. That means more to me than anything else, ever.”_

_Letting go of his neck, she stepped back, but only a little and breathed in deep as she stood there close to him. His ozone fresh scent filled her lungs and rejuvenated her as it always did._

_A soft noise brought her attention to his face. His gaze on her was thoughtful, revealing his emotions for a moment before he grinned at her and caught her up in a bear hug._

_“You are the best, and don’t you ever forget that!” He swung her around a couple of times, then set her down and stepped back. “Are you alright? You seriously had me worried there for a little bit.”_

_“Yeah, I am. Thanks.” She nodded, nibbling at her bottom lip. “Well, not really,” she amended, tossing her hair back and giving him a shaky smile, “but that’s something to be dealt with at another time. For now,” her smile broadened into a mischievous grin, “we have an abandoned silo in Siberia to check out.”_

*************************************************************************

The air was crisp and cold as they stepped through the Gate from Malaki’s living room onto the Siberian highlands. No snow was currently on the ground, though the hint of it was always in the wind coming from the North. The rocks of the surrounding area were swept bare by the constant wind, allowing only small shrubs and plants to grow in the crevices and nooks between them. Malaki hunched her shoulders against the gusts of air, fighting back disturbing memories of the last time she had been to Siberia. It hadn’t been this Siberia but the one in her own dimension, still it provoked the demons of memory just the same.

Thor hadn’t argued much about using her Gate instead of swinging his hammer, although he had offered. He seemed content to follow her lead for the moment, his gaze upon her more intense than what she was used to from him. She wondered if she should be questioning him about his state of mind since his return instead of him asking about her’s. He’d been acting strange, like he was forcing himself to be his normal, exuberant self. Not to mention what he’d said when she first greeted him at the restaurant. 

Malaki tried to keep her thoughts on Thor as they approach the raised mound where the doors to the top of the silo opened onto level ground, but the closer they got, the more she felt twitchy. Down between her shoulder blades and off to the side, out of the corner of her eyes, she felt the weight of someone, or something, watching her. She shifted into hypervigilance, keeping a lookout on all sides, wondering if there was someone really there or just memories from previous experience. 

Reaching the doors, she placed a hand on the wheel, ready to give it the spin that would start the unlocking procedure of the mechanism. Thor’s hand on her arm startled her and she jumped, whirling on him, drawing energy to herself in preparation of a strike.

“You need to calm down, vinir,” Thor’s tone was low and probably soothing, if she hadn’t been so keyed up. As it was, it grated on her jangled nerves.

“Don’t tell me to stay calm,” she snapped back at him, intending it to be snarky. Instead it came out harsh and angry. This pissed her off even more. Using the energy she’d gathered, she called to Earth and Winds, Water as Ice from the surrounding snow, channeling it around the metal plates standing in her way. The metal creaked and groaned but didn’t budge. 

Thor stomped the ground, seemingly impatient at the delay. Malaki noticed crackles of energy, lightning itself, forming at his fingertips. This brought questions to mind that she’d wanted to ask last night. The cleansing had been more important at the time, and he had agreed. Now they weren’t busy with anything else. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more it seemed they were both wasting time and avoiding what they were really upset about. 

Malaki took a deep breath, trying to calm down so she could ask Thor why he’d been such a mess. Before she could get a word out, he looked her dead in the face and asked the one thing she wasn’t prepared to answer. 

“What’s with this curse you seem to have on you? Is that what made you bite Stark?” He stood a little ways away, hands akimbo, intense energy oozing from him like it was in his blood. Maybe it was, since he kept shedding sparks and arcs crackled and crawled up and down his armor and limbs like he was overloaded. 

“It’s not a curse. Not some damned spell that can be dismissed with a few words and some smoke.” Her voice cracked on the last word, not quite a sob, but full of emotions she hadn’t wanted to access, let alone show. She waved an arm around, trying to dismiss any such notions, then turned away, unable to face him or look at him fully. Her control was slipping, she could feel it going like cheap and tawdry costume pieces dropping away even as she grabbed at them to hold everything together. 

“I’m not saying anything of the sort, vinir. But for Stark to react so hastily in his retreat, there must have been something done to trigger his sense of self-preservation.” Thor pauses to let her talk. When she refuses to answer, to even face him, he continues, determined to provoke some reaction from her, if only for more information. “Why else would you do something to chase away such a prize as Stark? Did it have somewhat to do with the bite you gave him? Seeing as it was merely a love nip, I think there had to be something else, another power or threat to trigger him like you did.”

“It was only supposed to be a kiss. Nothing more.” Malaki’s reply comes out raspy with emotion, her hands leaving her hips to wring together as she spoke. Her eyes no longer registered the barren tundra around her, but instead focused inward, rewinding the scene over and over in her head. The dark room, the lights from the monitors limning the edges of Tony and herself as they came together like they could slake each other’s thirst. She hadn’t known her hunger had been awakened with his kiss, hadn’t thought ahead of time that it might be brought on with the powerful emotions Tony had evoked in her. 

“Astvinir. I’m sorry.” Thor’s whispered apology from behind her was barely heard above the wind moaning its way around the mound of dirt and rock that hid the entry way of the silo. His hands on her shoulders were welcome, for their heat as well as the security of their weight, holding her steady, holding her together. She wanted to turn into his arms, turn away from the need to explain herself, the urgent desire to stuff these emotions back into their box in her heart where they had lain dormant for such a very long time. 

The time for such indulgences had past, though. Besides, if she’d wanted to avoid facing this, avoid what she needed to, was destined to do, she’d have stayed back where she’d been. Stayed back at her own place, wallowing in self-pity, filled up with so many regrets they paralyzed her into inaction. Like she’d been when Doctor Strange had appeared practically on her doorstep out on the fourth moon of [T'Qyvius](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10565673/chapters/23343624). 

His appearance had drawn her out from that hollow shell she’d stuffed herself into, drawn here by the possibilities his aura trailed behind him as though he were a comet from the future. She had never been one to turn away someone as beautifully broken as him. The craving for a jagged edge that would match her own was never gone, could never be gone. Only subsumed in the cares of pretending to be alive and well, functioning and upright. 

“It’s strange, really -” Malaki began, her words coming out slowly as she dragged them into the light from the depths of her consciousness.

“Doctor Strange!” Thor exclaimed, his hands on her shoulders whirling her around to face him. “This is his fault? I knew he wasn’t to be trusted. Should have listened to Loki when -”

“What? No! Thor! Stop!” Malaki yelled at Thor in order to be heard over his shouting. She shrugs his hands from her and steps back to look up at his face. That’s when she noticed what he’d been hiding from her this whole time. “What happened to your eye? Thor! Look at me!”

Thor stopped shouting and waving his arms around, threats of death and dismemberment falling to ashes from his lips as he stopped and looked down at Malaki. He realized right then that his excitement had caused his illusion to end, the one he’d assumed to keep everyone from seeing his true state. Dejected, his arms hung down at his sides, empty-handed, shoulders slumped, head bowed. It occurred to him that maybe he shouldn’t have pushed Malaki to talk about her problem, so as to not have to face his in return. 

He knew that was the darkness still inside of him, leftover from Hela’s attacks, muttering and whispering in his bones that he shouldn’t have survived. No one else had, except Loki, maybe. He’d made his peace with Loki, made his peace with being king over Asgard. He’d even made peace with the fact that most of his companions were gone. The legends of Valhalla, the final glorious resting place of those who fought valiantly, they were all he had left now. Then Malaki’s call had come to him from out of the interdimensional spaces, echoing down into his spirit and waking him. 

Malaki was calling him. “Thor, tell me! When did you lose your eye and why were you hiding it from me?”

Grabbing her hands as she was about to pound on his chest, demanding an answer, Thor lifts them and places a kiss on the back of each one in turn, doing his best to return the smile to his face. “I’m sorry, astvinir, I didn’t want you to worry about me. Besides,” he lets go of her hands and walks a short distance away, hands clasped behind his back, head tipped back as he gazed into the pale blue sky, “I wasn’t really sure who it was that was summoning me. I’ve only ever been summoned like that by my mother.” 

He grins back at her, the shadow on his face almost hiding the patch over his right eye socket. “I’ve had quite the adventure recently, so please, forgive me if I am more forthright than usual.” 

At her slight nod, he turns away once again, almost in time to hide the look of pain washing over his face as he did. Before Malaki can react, he begins speaking, soft and low. “My father died, right after I discovered that Loki had tricked him and left him here on Midgard in an old folks home. Loki and I came to find him, ran into Doctor Strange, who helped me find Odin in Norway and then sent us there through one of his portals.” 

Malaki steps around to view Thor’s face, in time to see the grimace that he had from the mix of emotions aroused at this recital. She remains silent, not wanting to interrupt what looks to be the first time he has even addressed this grief over the events that had occurred. Her patience pays off when he growls and clenches his hands into fists. 

“That’s when I discovered that I had a sister, older than me and Loki both. Hela by name, and she was my father’s conquering hero, his goddess of Death. We fought and lost that day and was dumped from the plane of Asgard onto a world near the outer rim of the galaxy. Sakaar. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?” He turns his face towards Malaki, though his gaze is still focused inward. She remains silent, not wanting to break the stream he was pouring out from his soul.

“I found Loki there. A relief really. I thought he had fallen into a star and died or something, but no, there he was, living well and looking better than he has since before...well, since before he got tangled up with the Tesseract and all that nonsense.” Thor paused, swallowing visibly, hands on hips and head low. A moment of stillness, then he continues again. “Found Hulk, found Brunnhilde, last of the Valkyries. We escaped after a great fight and got back to Asgard. Defeated Hela. Yeah!” 

He grins again at Malaki, celebrating this victory. She imagines it was more epic than just a fistfight, more than siblings arguing over who would inherit the throne. The shadow on his face had grown deeper, more pain seeping through now as he neared the end of his story. Malaki took a deep breath, slowly releasing it as she prepared for whatever might come next, whether it be a meltdown or a breakdown. 

The grin falters as Thor contemplates what came next. Heaving a great sigh, he faces her, though his head remains low, eyes on his feet, the last part of him still grounded. “Loki and I made amends and I took my place at the head of the remnants of Asgard. Then he showed up.”

“Who?” Malaki barely breathed the question after several minutes went by with no response from Thor. The sky had darkened, clouds rolling in, heaving and tossing about like they’d received the breath of Thor and were brought to life. 

“Thanos. His ship dwarfed ours. We had no weapons with which to fight his army. Hela had destroyed most of the warriors in her purge. We fought.” His voice breaks, the cry in his words echoed by the flash of lightning and crash of thunder. In the stillness that followed, the pregnant pause before the clouds burst, came one last whisper. “We lost. I lost. I failed.” 

Rain poured from the sky, hiding everything beyond a narrow circle of mere meters as Thor fell to his knees. Malaki stepped in and caught his shoulders, straining to keep him from collapsing to the ground completely. With an inarticulate cry, he flung his arms around her and buried his face against her stomach, sobs racking his form.


	24. Lots of People Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Bruce get down to business, catch up on what they've been up to, and make a very unexpected discovery.

Previously: (from Ch 21) _“Wow, that was…” Natasha starts off slowly, her voice dripping with derision._

_“Petty? Yep, that it was.” Tony grabs a bottle of water from the fridge and steps back to the table. “It would have been nice if you could have brought someone to help me out, instead of antagonizing me.”_

_“Well, if you’d let me talk instead of having a pissing contest with…” she sounded amused as she started to speak again._

_Tony couldn’t help it. He interrupted her again. “Pissing contest? That’s not very nice to say. I was just establishing my authority.” He smirked at her, knowing she was right and not even caring one bit that he had been petty._

_“Like I said, if you would let me finish,” she pauses to see if he is going to let her speak. When he does, she grins and points back at the doorway. “Who’s to say I didn’t.”_

_Tony turns back to the doorway, wondering who could it be that she thought would make a difference. Shock and happiness competed for space as the frame was filled by the reluctant figure of Bruce Banner._

_“Hi, Tony. Need some help with something?” Bruce lifted a hand and dropped it, resting both hands on his hips and grinning that goofy grin that Tony had missed more than he’d realized until now._

************************************************************

“Bruce!” Tony steps around the table to shake the hand of the person he’d just been hoping to see. Feeling a surge of emotion at the contact, he pulls Bruce close and wraps him in a hug, squeezing him tight. Bruce returns the embrace, patting Tony on the back vigorously. Taking half a step back, Tony grabs his friend’s shoulders and gives him a light shake, his gaze fixed on Bruce’s face. Amazingly, it’s calmer than he’d ever seen it, even before New York. 

“So, tell me,” Tony steps back and lets his hands drop from Bruce’s arms, “where have you been on your vacation? What have you been doing? Seen any cool sights, out on your own there?”

Bruce chuckles and ducks his head, crossing one arm over and grabbing his elbow with that hand. Looking up at Tony through hair gone shaggy and slightly gray around the edges, he shakes his head a bit and chuckles again. Reluctantly, he speaks up. “Well, uh, that is, I ah, hmm, I did see quite a bit while I was, uh…”

“Spit it out, Bruce.” Tony wonders why he is so hesitant.

“Well, you see, Tony, I was off-world.” Bruce’s head is up now, his eyes meeting Tony’s hesitantly, apologetic and filled with concern. He reaches up to his shirt pocket and, finding it empty, moves his hands around, then sticks them in his pants pockets. “Yeah, I was on another planet. Heh, imagine that,” a smile appears on his face, then finding it doesn’t fit, slides off. Still, Bruce tries to make light of what he is saying. “It was crazy!” 

Several things clicked into place all at once. There really had been a reason that he’d ran from Malaki. It was the same thing that had made it impossible for him to sleep and was what kept interrupting his sleep, waking him up in the middle of the night and giving him nightmares in the light of day. This line of thinking led him to thoughts of Malaki, to how intense it had been, there in her room, until this knowledge of what she was had triggered a reaction in him, strong enough to make him run away. It was this exposure to something alien, something not of this world, that had started his panic attack. 

Tony’s chest is on fire, air being squeezed from his lungs slowly, painfully. He opens his mouth to say something and ends up taking a deep breath. Not sure when he forgot to breathe, he steps back and puts his hands out, thinking the counter is right behind him. It isn’t and he ends up stumbling a little. Two and a half steps back, the counter edge blocks his unintended retreat. Now he can grab it, feel its solidity under his palms. Palms that are sweating now. When did the room get to be so hot? 

Tugging at the collar of his shirt, Tony remembers the cool air he just took in and mentally forces himself to exhale it and draw in another. His mind is spinning now, the rush of oxygen boosting his thoughts. A dozen calculations flash through, all pointing in one direction. Bruce’s words are simply confirmation of what he had already known, except now he could no longer deny it. His words from a year ago now seem prophetic. What he’d predicted was beginning to happen. 

Thor was also not of this world, though he didn't engender the same reaction. Tony is sure it's because his actions aren't usually foreign enough to trigger him in the same way. He realizes he hadn't been aware of the bite Malaki had given him until Thor had touched it, bringing up the question of why that was. It was more of a bruise, to look at it. He thinks of it as a bite because, somehow there has been an exchange of blood, or fluid, between the two of them. Focusing on that first, he is able to calm down and deal with everything else.

Looking up at Bruce and Nat, Tony becomes aware that only a minute or so has gone by and they are still waiting for his response, verbally anyway. They have only began to look at him oddly, not ready to voice concern. He grins and rubs his hands together, suddenly eager to show Bruce what he's discovered.

“Okay, right, yes Bruce, I do have something to show you. Nat,” he looks directly at her, willing her to listen carefully, “I need you to review Alice's records she's gathered on Malaki’s computer system. Also, monitor those guys and make sure they stay out of trouble. Are Wanda and Vision still in the quinjet?”

Nat was nodding at each of the questions until the last one. The look she gives Tony is a mix of surprise and admiration, wondering how he had known of those two and that they were here as well as the guys. He gives her another of those cocky grins as he answers her unasked question.

“I always expect you to use all the resources available to you, Nat. You should know that by now.”

“Well, that’s good to know.” Nat’s voice is warmer than the small grin she gives him in return. “What do you want them to do?”

Tony pulls out his phone and flips it, activating the holographics to project up and out between them. Tapping a couple of bright points in the glowing squares, he brings up some sub-menus and moves a few of them around. “There,” he pokes it and everything disappears, “that will allow Vision to go over all the data we have on the anomaly that Malaki came through. I want him to go over everything you gathered and collate that with the anomaly info. We need to figure out where she might be from and if we should be expecting company to follow.”

Nat gives a sharp nod, her smile now predatory. She’s glad he is finally admitting the danger that the woman represents. “And Wanda?”

“The same thing, only with her powers. If there’s a trace of anything that will lead us back to where Malaki came from, what she’s capable of, anything…” Tony pauses, visibly resisting something unseen by Bruce or Nat, “we need to find it and use it,” he finishes quietly.

Nat flips her hand up in a faux salute. “Got it. On it!” She turns and starts towards the door, only to be stopped by Tony’s hand on her arm. She looks at him, a raised eyebrow her only question.

“Thanks, Nat.” He is sincere in his apology, though Nat can see a longing in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. He grins and his eyelids crinkle, hiding whatever had been showing as he covers his vulnerability with humor. “Oh, and you can get Vision to help you with Malaki’s supercomputer, but he needs to be extra careful if he wants to do more than look at it.”

“I’ve been telling him to use protection for over a year now, Tony. Don’t think I’ll be stopping any time soon.” Another of her cocky salutes is tossed over her shoulder and then she’s gone. 

Tony laughs at that, turns to Bruce and finds a perplexed look on the scientist's face. Laughing again, he claps a hand on Bruce's shoulder. “Do I need to explain the concept of ‘wrap it before you tap it’ to the smartest man in the room? Isn't that a bit cliche?”

Bruce raises a hand, finger up.”But Vision can't… can he?”

“No, he can't.” Tony shakes his head and chuckles. “But that doesn't stop Nat and Clint from harassing him and Wanda about preventing the spread of viruses.”

“Viruses? Oh!” Bruce's face lights up as he finally comprehends the humor. His laugh is full and hearty, making Tony smile and shake his head even more.

“Good grief, Bruce, what have you been up to that you forgot how jokes work?”

“Well,” Bruce stops laughing, his face serious, “apparently I've been on vacation in my own mind while the big guy ran things for a couple of years.”

“That's...not funny,” It's not quite a question, not quite a statement. Tony is watching his friend now, gauging how certain Bruce is of what he's saying.

“I'm not laughing.” Bruce swallows hard, gaze dropping to his shoes. “I'm not sure how I got out there. Hell, I'm not even certain how I got here. I am sure, however, that a few days ago, I woke up on a quinjet, the quinjet that I had taken, and it was on another planet. Thor was there, he can tell you what happened.”

“And you'd be the second person in as many days to use Thor as a reference.” Tony waited until Bruce glanced up at him, startled.

“Where is he? Who's using him as a reference?” Bruce looks hopeful, his eyes darting around as though he could see the Asgardian through the walls. 

“Malaki. Ring any bells?” 

“Mala…you sure it isn't Valkyrie?” Bruce scrunches his eyebrows together, searching Tony's face intently.

“Valkyrie? As in the war maidens swooping in on flying horses to gather the dead and take them to Valhalla?”

“Yeah, but she's the only one left.” Bruce looks crestfallen. “So not her. Damn.”

“Wait, so you know this Valkyrie, and you've been hanging with Thor, but you don't know where either of them are?” Tony is ticking off the points in the air, then stops and tilts his head at Bruce. “Is there something going on that I need to know about? Prepare for, maybe?”

“Yes? No? I think so?” Bruce shakes his head, frustration plain to see on his face. “My short-term memory is currently short-circuiting. Something happened, but there was lots of loud noises and yelling. The Hulk came out, I think. Not for long, though I can't say why. I don't know, but…”

“Coffee.” Tony holds up a finger, stopping Bruce from mumbling anything more. “Coffee and food. First things first. Fuel the brain, then make it work.” 

Tony turns to the fridge, opening the door, cutting off any objections. He emerges with prepackaged subs and cans of cold-pressed, highly caffeinated, flavor-enhanced coffees that have Bruce making appreciative noises over as he pulls the tab and the scents fill the kitchen air. They eat in silence for several minutes, leaning against the counter and the island. Again, Tony notices how physically healthy Bruce appears, even if his brain is a mess right now. Somehow, being the Hulk on another planet has been, what, healthy for the scientist? Tony finds himself shaking his head once more at the strangeness of it all.

“What is it, Tony?” Bruce pipes up as he finishes off the last can of coffee. “You keep looking at me like I’m growing a second head or something.”

“You really look amazingly healthy, Bruce.” Tony shrugs. “It’s not something I’m used to seeing. Last time I saw you, you were a nervous wreck, not eating well, not sleeping enough. God, you looked like I felt.” He tries to chuckle but it comes out as more of a soundless scoff.

“Thanks. No, seriously, I mean it.” he manages to smile for real as Tony waves off the gratitude, “I have to admit, I don’t feel nearly as tense as I used to. Although, I was tempted to call out the big guy there for a bit after I got in touch with Nat.”

“Oh? Is that how she found you then? Where were you? How did you call her?” Tony blurts out all the questions he’s been holding back, taking this opportunity to get them out. 

Bruce laughs, shaking his head. “I called Nat from a cyber cafe in New York and she brought the quinjet to come get me. When I saw the team with her, I thought maybe I was in trouble, but she hasn’t said much. Probably still mad that I left.”

“You got that right. I’m surprised she didn’t drop you off at the Raft.” Tony smirked at the unfunny joke, then grinned at Bruce’s confusion. “Oh, that’s right. You missed all that funny business, lucky you. The good ol’ US of A decided they needed a place to stash uncooperative super beings like -”

“Like me?” Bruce chuckles darkly.

“No, like anyone who doesn’t sign the Sokovian Accords.” Tony picks at his fingernails for a moment before looking up, only to find Bruce scowling at him.

“So, definitely like me, then.”

“Heh, well, um, about that…” Tony lowers his gaze, then glances up at Bruce from beneath his lashes, a sly smile on his lips. “I’m currently operating under a ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ executive order from Nick Fury. Meaning, if I don’t ask whether anyone that I’m working with has signed anything about registered supers, then I don’t have to tell anyone official what others may or may not be doing with their lives.”

Heaving a sigh, Bruce sticks his hands back in his pants pockets. “Well, that’s good for now, I guess. Just don’t expect that same kind of consideration if they decide they need a scapegoat.”

His bitter gaze is met by an equally bitter sneer from Tony. Taking a deep breath, Tony wipes his face with one hand. “Okay, now that we’ve caught up a bit, let me show you what I’ve found.”

He beckons Bruce to follow him and leads him over to the breakfast nook, pointing him at the table there holding the small amount of equipment he’d cobbled together from his suit to run tests on the samples Alice had collected from his blood and skin. Bruce sits in the chair and taps the monitor pad, bringing up the projection screens to see what Tony has to show him. Tony lets him peruse the data onscreen for a few moments, uninterrupted by his own input, waiting for Bruce to ask the one question he knows he will.

Bruce does not disappoint. “What exactly am I looking at here?”

Tony checks which screen the scientist is pointing to before nodding excitedly. “That’s exactly what I was wanting to ask you. I’m guessing, but I think it’s a form of immortality.”

He watches Bruce’s face go from stunned disbelief to amazement and back, the trip taking several seconds and a couple of other complicated emotional stops along the way. Finally throwing his hands in the air, the scientist asks the second question Tony had been waiting for. 

“Where did you find this and can we get more samples?”

Tony’s smile is only a little crooked as he nods. “Yeah, we probably can and it came from that person I mentioned earlier, Malaki.” He pulls his collar out to reveal the mark just above his right collarbone, placed over his artery there. “See here, at the subclavian and mammary juncture, there was some kind of fluid exchange, my blood and something, that stuff there,” Tony waved rapidly at the picture being digitally enhanced in the display to their left, “was exchanged, through my skin.”

“Wait! She kissed you there?” Bruce’s expression is one of shock mixed with what might be a small amount of terror, the kind one might have upon finding out that monsters really do exist. 

“Well, not exactly just a kiss,” Tony has enough self awareness to blush as he tries to describe what had happened, “it was more like we were, um, y’know, in a passionate embrace, my shirt was open, she had on a short silk wrap, our mouths were -”

“Okay, okay, I get the picture. Lemme look at it closer.” Bruce waves a hand to shut Tony up and then motions him over to the chair next to him. 

Once Tony is seated, Bruce goes over the area with everything he has at his disposal, including taking another sample of the skin and drawing blood from the artery there, something Tony hadn’t been able to bring himself to do. They sit in silence, Tony running scans on the house through Alice’s systems as well as monitoring what the rest of the team is doing while Bruce runs the tests that he can here in the field, so to speak. He finds his thoughts drifting back to the encounter, to that moment when he’d felt the urge to run, wondering when it was that his subconscious figured out what his mind was denying out of desire. 

“So do you like this woman, this, uh, Malaki?” Bruce’s question brings him back to the kitchen, eyes refocusing to a view out the window showing the guys on his team tossing around a ball, laughing and looking like there wasn’t a thing in the world to worry about. A moment of fear skips over his heart, only to be chased away as Wanda and Nat appear, arm in arm, strolling around the three guys and followed by Vision, doing his best to blend in with normal clothes and his appearance changed to look more human. The moment is so...ordinary, Tony’s heart aches. 

“Yes, I do.” Tony answered Bruce’s question without looking at his friend. “Probably more than I should, considering I met her a mere four days ago.” 

“Do you think her kissing you, kissing your…” Bruce points at the mark on Tony’s neck, “has anything to do with you liking her so much?”

Tony contemplates it for a few minutes, watching out the window some more, then turning to watch Bruce working on the mystery in front of them. He reflects back to his first meeting with Malaki, there on the road at the anomaly. The smell of her in his car when he was having that panic attack. How she’d felt, so solid and certain of what she was doing while everything seemed to swirl out of control around him. The color of her eyes at the restaurant when he’d removed her sunglasses. The kiss she’d given him after summoning Thor during dinner. 

The words Thor had spoken to him, about his regard for Malaki and how he was sure Malaki had been drawn to him as sure as he’d been drawn to her, came back to Tony, washing over him, cleansing him of his doubt and worry. For once, he certain of his choice. 

“No, it doesn’t.” Tony rises to his feet. “She isn’t coercing me, or manipulating me.”

Bruce raises his hands, palms facing out. “Okay, it’s okay, Tony. I believe you. Calm down.”

Tony looks at Bruce, sees the concern on his friend’s face and backs up. Sitting in the chair again, he passes his hand over his face. His whisper is so quiet it is almost unheard. “Maybe it does?”

Bruce begins to say something and is interrupted by Alice. “New data found. Downloading now.” A minute goes by, then another. The two men watch the progress bar on the download finish, then another pops up. “New data found. Downloading now.” Alice repeats her phrase as the new bar starts filling up. Another bar appears and begins filling up as well. “New data found. Downloading -”

“Yeah, yeah, why are you sounding so robotic?” Tony breaks in, griping at his A.I. “I didn’t program you for that nonsense, did I?”

“No sir, but I figured it’s better than announcing what I’ve found so that everyone can hear. That’s sure to induce a panic for anyone not of a scientific frame of mind.” Alice’s snarky tone while making this statement has Tony smiling again. He won’t ever admit it but he is starting to depend on this A.I.’s sense of sarcasm to keep him steady.

“You are correct, Alice but can you at least tell us where this information comes from?” Tony speaks aloud, quiet enough that his voice won’t echo. The screens on the monitors shift to show packages being opened as the data is brought up to reveal the new information. He leans over Bruce’s shoulder and taps the holo-keyboard, bringing up a map in the upper right-hand corner. “Show us what you got, darling.”

“Seoul, Korea and St. Petersburg, Russia.” Bruce mutters, reading the rest of the information as he notates the locations being pinpointed on the map.

“What do they have in common? Why is this related to what we know from our research?” Tony’s impatience shows through now, indicating his stress level as he waits to see what this new data brings to the table. 

“Oh, this can’t be good.” Bruce’s statement is full of quiet despair. “Vampires, Tony. Vampirism is what they have in common.”


	25. Few of Them Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, Secretary of State for the USA, pays a visit to Dr Helen Cho at her U-Gin Genetics Research Labs in Seoul, Korea. He brings her six cryo-crypts and one special guest, though what he wants could be more dangerous than what Ross wants.
> 
> Time Reference: Events here at U-Gin begin around the same time as the dinner date with Tony and Malaki in Chapter 6. Seoul, Korea is 13 hours ahead of New York, US. UTC +9 hours.  
> Time Clocks [Here](https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/personal.html?cities=24,179,136,352,248,235)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To follow what happens here at U-Gin with Dr Helen Cho and Secretary Ross, please check out "[Balance of Power](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16106198/chapters/37621091)", a spinoff from this chapter.
> 
> Dimension - 20001
> 
> Timeline - Events begin to take place about a year or so after the events of Captain America: Civil War and a short time after Thor: Ragnarok, but begins before Black Panther

Previously in Chapter 20: _“What about The Avengers?”_  
_The man chuckled, a nasty sound that held no amusement whatsoever. “They’re still out there, Zemo. Free to do whatever they want. Sure most of them signed the Accords, but Captain America and Barnes, they didn’t sign. Makes them fair game. Makes them liable. You’d have full backing of the United States government, sanctioned and licensed, for whatever assignments you are given.” He paused and grinned again. “Like I said, interested?”_  
Helmut smiled fully now, his curiosity satisfied for the moment. In his gut he could feel the anger building again, the same pain carving a hole in his belly like it had after Sokovia, after Ultron and The Avengers had destroyed his world. “Absolutely, sir. When do I start?”  
_The man, former Lieutenant-General of the United States Army, now Secretary of State, Thaddeus E. “Thunderbolt” Ross, held out his hand to Helmut as he rose to his feet. “You just did.”_

Previously in Chapter 24: _“Seoul, Korea and St. Petersburg, Russia.” Bruce mutters, reading the rest of the information as he notates the locations being pinpointed on the map._  
_“What do they have in common? Why is this related to what we know from our research?” Tony’s impatience shows through now, indicating his stress level as he waits to see what this new data brings to the table._  
_“Oh, this can’t be good.” Bruce’s statement is full of quiet despair. “Vampires, Tony. Vampirism is what they have in common.”_

======================================

**Seoul, Korea - U-Gin Genetics Research Labs**

Helen Cho believed in science more than just about anything. That didn’t stop her from following traditions that had been taught to her by her parents and by their parents. Traditions connected the generations and helped keep society stable, so to her, that was good enough evidence to keep honoring them. This belief in more than simple cold hard facts was one of the reasons she had no problem dealing with the Avengers and the strange things they brought her. That and a certain handsome Asgardian. 

She’d hoped to be around him more when she opened a lab in SHIELD headquarters, but had been disappointed to find out that he had left soon after the relocation of the main team there. Something about needing to return home. With nothing else there that held her interest, she too returned home soon after that. Her labs at U-Gin were refurbished, thanks to Stark, after the Ultron incident, but with these occurrences becoming more frequent, she decided to bring in her family’s traditions against bad luck as extra protection. Not to mention, it gave the labs some much needed ambiance. 

As soothing as the ambiance is, it still isn’t enough to keep her calm the day Thaddeus Ross shows up on her doorstep, that is to say, her helipad on the roof of the labs, with six oversized, coffin-shaped cryo-sleepers and an unexpected prisoner in tow. His request for a meeting with her is accompanied by official papers from SHIELD, stamped and dated and paired with a copy of the Sokovian Accords proposition that was making the rounds of the UN council members. The only reason she doesn’t call Stark or Fury immediately is the proposition that Ross hands her first.

[Project Thunderbolt](http://marvel.com/universe/Thunderbolts#ixzz5Iv5DOuq8), the name emblazoned across the folder that is on top of the rest of the papers he gives her, is something she’d heard rumors about from various people that paid visits to her clinic at HQ. People, even enhanced agents of SHIELD, still got nervous around doctors, especially doctors that operated machines like the ones she had developed. Being repaired in minutes instead of recuperating for days is unnerving and when people, even highly trained spy types, get nervous, they talk. And of course what they talk about most, is work.

Hearing rumors is one thing. Seeing the actual project folder in her hands is enough to get her to walk into her office with Ross on her heels, a smile on his face and the beginnings of one on hers. She waits until he’d chosen the seat directly in front of her desk and sat down before leaning against the desk and opening the folder to the summary in the front, the smile hidden behind a questioning furrow on her forehead. On the inside of the cover, facing the summary, is a profile of Helmut Zemo, his pictures, his skills, everything. 

Narrowing her eyes, she glares at Ross over the top of the folder. Hardened soldier that he is, he still flinches when her eyes latch onto his, burning through his shades and into his retinas, demanding answers. Knowing he needs her bad enough to give her the answers she seeks, she waits without speaking until he throws up his hands in the classic sign of surrender.

“Okay, I know what you’re thinking. Yes, Zemo was fighting against the Avengers. Yes, he triggered Barnes and that led to that whole airport incident in Germany. But he’s got useful skills. Skills we’re gonna need here.” 

Looking around the office, and presumably out into the lab areas, he seems to be checking whether anyone is looking his way. When he is satisfied no one is, he looks back up at her with a conspiratorial wink. “You can’t tell me you aren’t curious.” He nods once, short and quick. “I’ve seen your work. Had to have it explained to me, but that’s when I knew…”

“Knew what, exactly?” Helen didn’t bother with either of his titles. He isn’t here officially and she knows that neglecting his titles will sting his pride, provoking him to justify his actions. 

“What I’ve brought to you. You’re the only one that can do this. The only one that’s capable, and willing.” Ross shifted in his seat, waiting for her to respond. When she remains unmoved, his eagerness gets the best of him and he starts babbling like this was their first date. Which, in a way, it was. “We have super soldiers, Helen, Winter Soldiers. Like Barnes. Better than Rogers. Trained and experienced in anything and everything needed to meet our needs. We just need you to, um, to fix them.”

“Fix them? How?” Helen speaks just enough to prod him, to keep him talking until he has told it all. She’s used to dealing with recalcitrant cell codes and getting them to reveal their secrets. Ross has nothing on the stubbornness of virus cells. 

He spills more, wanting to shock her, get her off guard so he can be in control again, though deep down he should know it isn’t going to happen. “They’ve been shot in the head. Just one bullet each. While in cryo-freeze. We got to them before they became unviable, so -”

Her derisive snort interrupts him. She will be the one that determines what is viable and what isn’t, though she is truly intrigued now. He’s revealed his goals, probably more than he originally intended. Now he needs to show her the carrot and the stick. 

“What’s in it for me?” She asks the expected question with suspicion, not wanting to reveal how much he’s triggered her curiosity. 

Ross grins that overconfident grin of his, thinking that he’s gained control again now that she’s asking this. He tosses his head of steel grey hair and laughs softly. “Oh, I’ve brought you something that will lay to rest many, many myths and stories of the kind that no one believes in but everyone talks about. He’s here to help you with this little project, not with his scientific acumen, but with his body. He has a unique, what do you call it, um? Physiognomy, yes, that’s the word.”

“You probably mean physiology , but it doesn’t matter.” Helen shrugs off the difference with one raised eyebrow and shoulder. “Tell me. What makes him so special? A mutation?”

“No,” Ross chuckles like she’s made a joke. “He’s a vampire.”

The silence that comes over the room is palpable. Helen raises her gaze to stare at him, holding her breath, waiting for Ross to laugh again and tell her the truth. Instead, he’s looking at her from his chair, eyebrows raised as he assesses her reaction. When seconds go by without a sound from her, he nods in acceptance of her stunned awe.

“We caught him quite by accident while testing some new equipment out somewhere that isn’t important to this discussion. He -”

A shout from the walkie-talkie at Ross’s hip interrupts his explanation. “‘Scuse me, I have to take this.” 

He turns a knob on the radio and places an earpiece in his ear, then listens to what is said. “I don't care what he says, bring him in and secure him, Lieutenant.”

He listens some more, then scowls.”No, he doesn’t need to - why would he need to talk to her?” More silent scowling follows, then an irritated scoff. “Well, he’s not getting anywhere near her until he’s secured inside the facility. I’ll let him talk to her over the secured line. Give me a minute.”

Helen watches as he stands and looks at her, his brows scrunched together like he’s trying to decipher complex DNA combinations. He holds out the radio, mouthpiece covered with the palm of his hand. 

“He says he needs your invitation to come inside. While I’d like to call him on his bullshit, we need to get him inside as quickly as possible. He is afflicted by the sun, after all.”

Helen’s insides lurch at that simple statement. “I want to see him. Your men, they’re at the helipad door, correct?”

Without waiting for an answer she doesn’t really need, she walks out of her office, through the security area and into the comms station, looking at the monitors on the wall. They cover every angle of the building as part of the security system installed by Stark Industries after the Ultron incident. Walking over to stand directly in front of the main screen, now showing the helipad area in front of the door, Helen reaches out to touch the screen where a person stands between several large men in military fatigues, their helmets emblazoned with MP. He looks up at her through the camera, through the screen, his eyes hidden deep within the thick cloth hood covering his head. 

Emaciated to the point the clothes he wears hang loosely on him, held only by the cut of the cloth and the ties cinched up against his skin, he still remains unbent, proud bearing giving him a dignity that overcomes his bedraggled appearance. Helen can feel his will piercing through the intervening layers between them, but doesn’t count malice as one of those feelings that comes with it. Weariness, despair, hunger, pain. These predominate, but only scratch the surface. She has never counted herself as one that connects to others very well, but since the Ultron incident, she has been more aware of them, and now he is touching that chord in her.

Without a word, she spins and heads down the hall toward the helipad, leaving Ross to catch up to her again, after having just arrived out in the security room. He calls to her, yells her name, but she ignores him until he catches her as she is starting to punch the code to open the door again. Glaring at him as he grabs her wrist, she twists loose and steps back, fully prepared to knock him on his ass. Seeming to sense her ire, he steps back, holding his hands up, palms out.

“Take it easy, Ms Cho.”

“Dr. Cho,” she corrects him, tossing her hair back, hands clenching as her body turns to the side. 

“Sorry. Dr Cho. Look, you can’t just go letting him waltz in here. He’s more dangerous than you know. More than anything you’ve ever heard in any story or tall tale.” Ross’s fear adds sincerity to his warning. 

Helen straightens her stance, relaxing enough to rest one hand on a hip. “Go on, I’m listening. Make it fast. He’s still standing in the sun.”

Ross nods and swallows his emotions. “You let him in without setting down some base rules, without letting him know you’re in charge, he’ll use his will to seduce you and everyone here to fall under his spell.”

Narrowing her eyes at him, seeing the flush creep up his neck as he talks about this being, she can’t help but wonder. Questions are her forte, so she makes use of them. “If that’s the case, how come you aren’t doing his bidding? How did you make yourself immune?”

Chuckling and straightening his jacket, Ross gives her his most debonair smile. “I’ve been in the military and political arenas a long time, Dr Cho. I’m used to people kissing my boots and licking my ass to get what they want.” He preens for a moment, then nods and motions at the door lock. “Go ahead and welcome him in. Just don’t let him forget that you’re in charge.”

Helen would question Ross’s assessment of himself, as well as the order of his phrasing, but she is pressed for time, especially since her specimen is getting damaged even as she pulls the door open to bring him in to safety. The door swings open to reveal the group she’d seen on the monitor. At the sight of her, the MPs step inward, closing ranks and securing their charge. A loud painfilled hiss comes from him as they grab hold of the nearest body part, arms, shoulders, his neck.

“Release him!” Helen barks the command, stepping through the doorway enough that the sun hit the top of her head, its heat oppressive even this early in the year. 

“Ma’am?” The only one not to have a hand on the thin man in the middle of the group looks at her, head tilting as he questions the order.

“Let him go. He is my charge now. He needs to come in out of the sun. Immediately!” She takes another step, head high, hands on her hips. 

“Do as she says, soldier!” Ross speaks up from behind her. “She’s the boss here. It’s her call, her show.”

While it irritates her to have Ross speaking up for her, in this case, it’s good that he is emphasizing her authority and backing her up. There could be no question of her being the one in charge. Fixing her eyes on the one she is here for, she beckons him closer. He shuffles up to stand less than a meter away, his movement restricted by chains of pale metal connecting shackles around his ankles and wrists, the cuffs tucked up underneath the clothing. Beneath the hood, a smile seems to appear below the heat of the eyes she had sensed earlier. 

Calling upon her best royal impersonation, she holds out her hand, palm down, fingers hanging languidly down. “Swear fealty to me and my rules, and I shall allow you to take shelter here for as long as I wish it.”

A deep throaty chuckle rumbles out from beneath the shadows of the hood, the thin shoulders shaking along with it. “Well done. You are as strong as I sensed. I shall gladly swear as you ask, once I am inside and these shackles have been removed.”

Staring down her nose, Helen gives him a sneer worthy of any princess. “Swear it and you shall be allowed inside. Behave and obey me, and I’ll consider the removal of your restraints.”

Another low rumbling laugh is followed by his hand reaching out to take her, faster than she could see. His thumb brushes over the back of her hand, rolling across her bones gently, then he bows over their clasped hands. 

“You have seen and been touched by the 무한한 마음의 돌 [muhan han ma-eum-ui dol] [stone of the infinite mind],” he murmurs, taking her hand in the both of his now. “I swear on my maker’s blood, that I will be loyal to you, obey your commands, and be your servant until my last breath is drawn.”

Helen smiles, though there’s no mirth in her eyes. Leaning closer, she grips the fingers wrapped around her hand hard enough to grind the bones against each other.

“Swear on your maker's blood that you will be my loyal and faithful servant until your bones are dust, or I'll leave you out in the sun to be burnt to ash.”

A faint gasp comes from him that stands in front of her before he bows even lower over her hand and his. “I do so swear it.”

She squeezes harder. His knees buckle slightly, his body trembling now. “By the blood of my maker, I swear I shall remain your true and faithful servant until my bones become dust.”

Nodding, Helen releases his hands, attempting to remain unruffled. The shock of power that had erupted upon his vow had been unexpected and she isn’t quite sure what it means, or that it isn’t just her mind giving her a representation of something she can’t quite understand, but it is enough for her to feel safe now. His reaction affirms that as well.

“Please, mistress, may I enter?” His voice is softer now, not as overbearing as before, though he has straightened back to his proud bearing. 

Helen steps back, nodding her head at him. He steps forward, only to have the soldiers grab at him again. This time, however, he responds, quick and fierce, striking them all down in a matter of seconds, knocking them to the ground where they writhe in pain, bones shattered but still alive. He shakes the cloth of his sleeves back down to cover his hands past the cuffs, cutting off the wisps of smoke coming off of them. Shuffling past Helen, she catches a glimpse of his lower face, twisted in a delighted smirk as he makes his way past her. Her lips curl in an answering smirk that smooths out to her normal haughty frown by the time she reaches Ross. 

He has an expression that she’s used to seeing when men like him face someone who holds unquestioned power over them, one of fear and eagerness. It’s a sure thing now that he won’t be trying to take over her operation, for which she is grateful. Once she has her prize settled into a decent secure setup, she can dig into this project he’s brought her without that worry to nag at her. 

Stepping over to one of the many intercom panels scattered up and down the hallways, she presses the button for the medics and, speaking Korean now, informs them of the soldiers needing medical attention out on the helipad. Tapping another button, she calls her facilities manager and tells him to meet her in her office. She beckons with a small hand motion and both her new asset and Ross follow her down the hall.

She stops at the office door and points to the chair set outside next to the metal doorframe. “Sit here.”

He sits, easing himself onto the hard plastic of the chair, his hands coming to rest on his knees. The cloth of his sleeves slide up as he leans forward to rest his forearms on his legs, head bowed. On his wrists, now visible, she can see the same light colored metal making up the cuffs has left black marks on his flesh, reminding her of burn marks on paper. Curious, she touches one of the cuffs, rubbing her fingertip over its silky smooth surface. A hiss of indrawn breath comes as she withdraws and he shifts his position, revealing a new mark from the cuff on his skin. 

“Silver. 99% pure. It’s the best thing to hold him, we’ve found.” 

Ross’s voice comes from over her shoulder, reminding Helen she still has to deal with him until she can get him to leave everything to her team. She’d known it was silver, touching it had just been for verification. Another interesting item to go on the list for investigation. Reaching out to Ross without deigning to look at him, she wiggles the fingers of her open hand.

“Give me the keys.”

His noise of protest draws a snap from her hand, her gaze remaining on the creature, the asset in front of her. A jingle of metal precedes the weight of the keys hitting her palm. Her fingers closing over them, she secures them in her lab coat’s pocket and smiles, trying to make her new asset feel at ease.

“Tell me your name.”

The hood covering his head falls a bit more forward as he lowers his head, though Helen isn't sure if he’s bowing, or ashamed. “Michael. Michael Morbius.”


	26. Soul of a Woman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Malaki and Thor get to the conclusion of their very important conversation, ending in a surprising confession.

Previously in Chapter 18: _[Malaki] flung her arms around [Thor’s] neck and hugged him. - -_

_He swung her around a couple of times, then set her down and stepped back. “Are you alright? You seriously had me worried there for a little bit.”_

_“Yeah, I am. Thanks.” She nodded, nibbling at her bottom lip. “Well, not really,” she amended, tossing her hair back and giving him a shaky smile, “but that’s something to be dealt with at another time. For now,” her smile broadened into a mischievous grin, “we have an abandoned silo in Siberia to check out.”_

Previously in Chapter 22: _“Thanos. - - - We fought.” His voice breaks, the cry in his words echoed by the flash of lightning and crash of thunder. In the stillness that followed, the pregnant pause before the clouds burst, came one last whisper. “We lost. I lost. I failed.”_

_Rain poured from the sky, hiding everything beyond a narrow circle of mere meters as Thor fell to his knees. Malaki stepped in and caught his shoulders, straining to keep him from collapsing to the ground completely. With an inarticulate cry, he flung his arms around her and buried his face against her stomach, sobs racking his form._

==================================================

A/N: I’m using Icelandic to represent Asgardian/Norse words, as they are considered to be the closest in form for modern languages. I use the word astvinir but also switch to elskaðir as more appropriate and less formal for ‘beloved’.

Vinur - friend, boyfriend  
Vinkona - friend, girlfriend

===================================================

The cloudburst soaks them thoroughly, icy cold rain stealing their warmth, wind blowing over and around them, bare rocks and low-lying shrubs around failing to offer any cover or divert the wind. Oblivious to the weather happening around them, Thor comes back to awareness and finds his head in Malaki’s arms as he holds her hips in his. Emotions have washed through him, reflective by the weather, cleansing him along with the tears he shed, to leave him relieved and reluctant to release Malaki, enjoying how she feels even if they are soaked. Her presence has helped him recover from his despair, bringing back his normally sunny disposition and steadiness. He knows he hasn’t completely gotten over the terrible things that had only just happened, but like a ship in a storm, once he is back upright, he is certain he will weather the tempest. 

Taking a deep breath, he stands up, releasing his hold on Malaki, only to scoop her up and carry her to the door of the missile silo. The underhang is mostly dry, and out of the worst of the wind, allowing them a measure of shelter as the storm blows out over the tundra to finish itself off. Setting her on her feet, Thor grins down at her, then just because he wants to thank her, he leans down and embraces her, planting a warm kiss on her lips as he holds her against him. She resists for a second or two, then chuckles and returns the kiss, throwing her arms around his neck.

Thor wonders for half a second if this is another daydream, until Malaki nips his bottom lip, then sucks on it, much to his delight. The wind whips around them, even under the overhanging rock, sending a chill through their wet clothes and interrupting their moment with shivers that course throughout their bodies. Stepping apart, Malaki gives a shake of her head, the icy cold droplets flying off in all directions.

“Hold your arms up, vinur.” She pushes at his and holds up her own. Closing her eyes, she visualizes the energy currents around them, the ones running through the ground beneath them, the ones coming down from the sky through the light of the sun, hidden by the storm clouds overhead. Finding what she needs, she pulls them together and begins circling them around their bodies, warming the air. Once that has begun, she pulls the energy from the water and heightens its attraction to the rain, calling the water from their clothes out to join that in the air and on the ground. 

In less time than one would expect, they are warm and dry once again, though the rain from the thunderstorm continues to fall for several more minutes. Sending the wind up and out from where they are, Malaki encourages the storm to move along natural lines of weather, aiming it out over the thirsty tundra surrounding them. The downside of all this energy manipulation is the depletion of warmth in their vicinity. Malaki remembers how much she dislikes the cold, having been raised in her youth in an equatorial desert. 

Thor, however, has a different disposition. Once he is dry, he immediately begins bouncing around, exclaiming loudly about the cold. “Phew, this is like summertime to a Frost Giant. Brisk enough to wake the dead!” 

He laughs when she rolls her eyes at him, annoyed by his show of good humor. She remains quiet, merely baring her teeth at him, too agitated about her dilemma to do more than that at the moment. Now that Thor has recovered from his trauma, at least as much as possible in such a short time, he seems ready to help, but she isn’t sure he is ready to learn the truth. She hasn’t told very many people about the beast that resides inside her. Telling Thor about that would mean telling him about why it was such a heavy blow to her when Tony had retreated from their tête-à-tête. As much as she hates to, she wonders if it would be better to leave that issue alone and focus on why they are here. Stepping out from the overhang, she heads towards the iron ladder on the side of the rock face. 

“What in the nine Realms is this place?” Thor asks, speaking Asgardian. He steps out from beneath the overhang to take a better look at the structure they’ve come to, here in the middle of nowhere. 

Several meters high, it appears from the sky to be a large, mostly flat, disk of rusted metal. Closer to it, lines become more visible near the top, making it more apparent there is a separation around the outer edge, as though a lid sat on a large pot. Where Malaki is standing, the overhanging rock forms an ingress where the doors have been mounted, though not a natural one, as it shows all the evidence of having been made when the metal pieces were placed. 

Thor lets out a disdainful snort. With a flick of his wrist and a crackle of lightning, his hammer takes him to the top of the structure, where he lands gracefully at the midpoint. There, a locked port marks the center, a wheel handle in the middle. He waits for a moment, then makes his way to the edge to peer down at Malaki. 

“Need a hand, vinkona?” He holds his hand out for her, giving her a teasing grin. Her scowl gives him pause. Knowing she’s upset by Tony's sudden departure and that she has been worried about losing her self-control, he wants to lighten her mood, but in response to his light-hearted actions, she’s acting as if he was the one who had slighted her. If it had been his fault, he would accept her mood. As it is, he isn't about to put up with her brooding over her actions, or Tony’s.

To him, their vow of friendship, with or without anything extra, means he’s sworn to be her confidant and ally, and to him that means he is going to get her to talk about whatever it is that has soured her mood. Her yelling at him is better by far than this silence, even though he is pretty sure she is not going to see it that way. It is all too easy to let things go untended and fester, as he’d found out in his own life rather recently. Getting her to open up could be the big problem here. No matter, he is sure he knows how to provoke her.

Shifting his hammer to the hand he is holding out to her, Thor grins, baring his teeth. “Come now, elskadir, no need to act human here. No one else is around to see if you leapt up here in a single bound.”

When she shakes her head, Thor decides he’s had enough of this childish behaviour. Floating down to her, he grabs her around the waist with his free hand and gives his hammer an upward swing. This propels them both up and over the edge until, with a graceful bump, they land on the top of the silo. 

The action proves to be the key to getting a rise from her. 

“What in the Nine Hells do you think you are doing?!” Malaki flings her arms up, breaking free of Thor’s grip and yelling at him in his own language. She rounds on him, anger burning in her eyes. 

His blood begins surging at this, sending the familiar warrior’s high throughout his body. He knows her temper is not something to take lightly. This is the reaction he wanted though, and he has faith that she wouldn’t do anything they both might regret. Grinning from a thrill like going into battle, he leans in, getting as close to her face as he dares.

“I’m giving you a hand up. Since it seems you’ve lost a lot of your abilities now that you’ve fallen for a human.” 

A haughty look coming over her, Malaki calls wind to float her up, looking him in the eye now. “I haven’t lost anything!” 

“Ha! Ha, ha, ha!” Thor deliberately taunts her. “You’ve lost your control. You’ve lost your sense of humor. Most of all,” he rested his fists on his hips, “you’ve lost your perspective.” 

His words grew quieter as he speaks and he realizes he has spoken true. This is something new, an ability of insight that is letting him see much more than her here in front of him, bringing with it the sensation of a single note ringing through him. He wonders if this is an undiscovered godly talent that only now is making itself manifest. Looking, really examining Malaki as she floats there in front of him, her mouth open in shock, he can see her malaise. It is as though she has been a lovely creature once, but now through neglect and lack of care has gone feral, tangled and worn from surviving like a beast in the wild. 

Thor nods his head, affirming to himself what he knows has to be his course of action. As she had helped him with his cleansing, so too does he desire, as one of her close companions, to help her regain her health and vitality. In order to do that, he has to redirect her energy away from anger and get her to channel it where it will help heal her. He vows then to help her tame her beast.

Malaki feels herself on the verge of tears. The hunger is beginning to gnaw at her, goading her temper and triggering her emotions until she is so twisted around she can hardly think straight. Most confusing of all is Thor’s attitude. One moment he’s all lovey-dovey and then the next he’s picking on her and treating her like a helpless weakling. To top it off, he’s now calling into question her judgement. The fact that it feels like she’s going mad torques her even more into a tangle of raw nerves.

Deep in her bones is the desire to leap at him, fight him to prove her strength is as great as his, even as her logic is asking what that would accomplish. She’s sure it’s the beast within her that is making her react this way, but the anger, the hunger, is also keeping her from admitting it. Instinct strong enough to protect her is also preventing her from showing weakness. The thought that she might not be as strong as him in a direct, head-to-head battle gives her an idea. It’s dangerous, brash, and impulsive, which to her means the chance for success is highly likely.

She lands on the metal surface of the silo and takes a step forward, coming within arm’s length of the man standing in front of her like he’s demanding a code word for safe passage. Bracing her hands on her hips in mimicry of him, she raises her chin, both to look him in the eye and in defiance. 

“Perspective, huh?” she asks, curling her lip to sneer at him. “This from a one-eyed, mewling quim of a failed king.”

His flinch hurts to see, though the beast within her instantly jumps at this sign of pain, the mental blood drawing it as surely as if she’d cut him. Stiffening her spine, Malaki tosses her hair back and goes in for the next strike.

“If you were half the man, nay half the king, your father was, you’d have opened the gates of all the spheres and brought the might of them all down upon your sister’s head instead of letting her depose you and your sorry, greasy, frostbitten excuse of a brother and kill all the real fighters of Asgard while you lounged around pretending to play at gladiators.”

The thunderous look he gives her at that diatribe is echoed by the storm clouds above. Drawn back from where she’d sent them earlier, they’ve grown threefold and roil around overhead, bolts of lightning jumping between them with ever-growing frequency. He grabs her then, holding her at bay, pain and misery mingling with the anger from her hurtful words in his eyes and over his face. The hunger surges within her, bursting out to show itself in her countenance, her mouth stretching in a salacious grin as she leans into his grip.

“Móðir þín ætti að hafa kastað þig frá Bifröst við fæðingu þína.” Her voice is guttural as she throws the insult at him.   
[Your mother should have thrown you from Bifrost at your birth.]

Thor’s face shows his shock at her words, followed quickly by anger. “Ekki þora að tala um nafn móður minnar aftur! Ég veit að það er dýrið innan ykkar sem talar. Haltu tungunni eða þjáðu afleiðingarnar.”  
[Do not dare to talk about my mother's name again! I know it's the animal within you who speaks. Hold your tongue or suffer the consequences.]

Licking her lips, her eyes glowing as they reflect the eerie light of the storm, Malaki takes the final step into this abyss, hoping it will be enough. The hunger draws her face into a leer. 

“Skrúfuð móður þína. Ég myndi sjúga hana frá milli fótanna hennar.”  
[Screw your mother. I would suck her dry from between her legs.]

The lightning bolt that strikes them is the largest Malaki has ever seen while planetside. Thor’s expression is one she’ll never forget, and one that she hopes to never see again. As the current overloads her defenses and begins to tear her body apart with tremors, she feels him let go of her, letting her stand there, grounded on the metal of the silo cover. Bolts shoot out from her to dance over the cover in a bizarre imitation of roots, catching her attention as her consciousness fades. She hears her body hit the surface, followed by a thump that can only be Thor falling to his knees, then her mind is freefalling into timeless blackness.

She separates from her flesh, floating up to view Thor and her body from above. As she begins to rise, two extremely large ravens appear above her, hovering in the air. Their wingspans are nearly two meters from tip to tip and they are tilting their heads back and forth, watching her. Below, Thor cries out, calling to the birds.

“Huginn! Muninn! Haltu ástvini mínum! Leyfðu henni ekki að fara!”  
[Keep my love! Do not let her go!]

At his command, the two float closer, an unseen wind beneath their wings obeying to give them lift where and how no normal bird could fly. The one to her left croaks at her and she understands he wants her to raise her arms. She does and they draw nearer still, grasping her arms in their feet. When secure, she looks down at Thor again. He has arranged her body as though laying it out for burial, all straight and collected, arms crossed at her breast, and is standing over her, head thrown back, eyes open, chanting. She’s never heard this chant, or the language he uses, before. 

His chanting continues for several minutes, rising and lowering in pitch and volume, until he raises his arms and chants louder. Rain comes in a downpour and lightning begins dancing over and around him. For the length of a flash, Malaki catches a glimpse of him with two eyes, one of them brown, before the patch returns. Scars appear and disappear, along with his hair changing color and lengths. She senses multiple strands of time and dimensions gathering around him, charging the air with unusual energy. The lightning around him burst and shoots overhead, then arcs down to land on the opposite side of her body, taking the shape of a man. 

He’s very familiar to her, as he is Eriq, her other half, her brother, the other part of her soul. Looking around, he says something to Thor and they shake hands, Thor looking very happy to see him. Speaking to him, Thor waves at her body and then up to where she is, his expressions animated and showing a wide range of emotions. 

Eriq nods and pats him on the shoulder, then pulls him in for a hug. They part and he looks up to catch her gaze. Giving her a loving smile, he waves then goes transparent and disappears from view. Malaki weeps then, shaken at this show of love and support from him for what is happening. When her tears cease and she can see clearly again, she finds herself closer to the ground, or at least to the surface of the silo where her body lay. 

Thor is watching her, his eyes glowing with energy. He speaks, though she can’t hear him now. Holding a hand over her body, he discharges energy into her and she is drawn down, back into herself. With a loud gasp, air rushes into her lungs as the noise of rain and lightning, thunder and Thor’s voice, all crash into her ears. She opens her eyes and he is crouched next to her, bending over to shield her from the rain and gazing into her eyes. 

“I’m sorry!” He shouts to be heard over the thunder that crashes and rolls so continuously it’s almost one long sound.

“No! Please! Don’t say that.” Raising her hand to his mouth, she covers his lips with her fingers. “I’m the one that owes you, Thor. An apology and a thank you. I didn’t mean anything I said. I only wanted to provoke you into striking me.”

He shrugs and gives her a smile, looking both proud and abashed at what he did. “I realized that after you had -” 

He flutters his hand up to the sky to describe what she’d done. One of the ravens land on his arm, nearly upsetting his balance. When he is steady again, he reaches over and scratches the bird’s head. 

“Thank you, my friends.” He nods at the other bird, who has landed a little ways away.

“Are those Odin’s -?” Malaki sits up and ducks under Thor’s cloak, then reaches a hand out to the bird on Thor’s arm.

“Yes. This one,” he motions at his arm, “is Huginn [Thought]. He is the cheeky one. Muninn [Memory],” he opens his hand, palm up, and wiggles his fingers at the other bird, “is shy and reserved, as befits his name.”

Malaki reaches out to Muninn, palm open. The bird cocks its head at her, then hops over and onto her wrist. Even braced, Malaki nearly loses her balance as the weight pulls on her arm. Images flow through her mind at its touch, a flood of memories overpowering her senses, until the flow slows and then settles on one. 

She can feel it being drawn out by the creature on her arm. The dread and anger she normally feels at this memory is nullified by its touch. It cocks its head at her again and her gaze is caught by the reflection of lightning in the black eye that is staring at her. Words burst from her mouth, and she begins telling the memory aloud.

“When I was young, a mere millennia or so, I was sent out on a mission to find out where my cousin had gone. She’d fallen into a dimensional vortex and onto an Earth that had superheros, very similar to this one and others like it. These people had rescued her from the ones that had captured her and taken her in. She became a part of their society and fell in love with a man that was more than human. He was, in fact, a vampire. One of the oldest still in existence on that Earth. She was injured in a fight with one of their enemies and he ended up changing her to save her. I found her and she didn’t want to come home. For good reason, because all those kinds of creatures had been eradicated in our dimension, hunted until they were extinct. Or so we thought.” 

“In the Valle Quattuor Ventis, where my brother now rules, there lives a branch of my race known as D’Qr. They are the remnants of the Vampire strain mingled with the blood of the Toblerns to create their offshoot race, but they can also - change - someone with the right procedures. Before I had traveled to find my cousin, I had spent a season among the D’Qr and fallen in love with one of their leaders. I underwent that change. When my cousin’s lover met me, he could sense that I was like him. He told me of another dimension where a group of people like him had established themselves among their populace and were existing without anyone the wiser.”

“Being the curious type, I figured out how to travel to that dimension and find them. They had not only traveled to this other dimension, but back in time, so they were in an era when the technology was not able to detect them as well. While there, I met a man that I became close with and ended up changing him to fit in with the others. When I returned home and did more research, I found -”

Malaki’s voice breaks and she drops her head, breaking the spell. The raven flaps its wings and lifts off her arm, landing a short distance away, near the other one. Thor clasps her shoulder, holding her upright and giving her comfort. When she doesn’t continue, he prompts her.

“What did you find, vinkona?” he asks softly.

Without meeting his gaze, she sniffs and begins speaking, in a whisper barely audible over the storm. “The D’Qr have a legend of their beginnings and how they came to be in the Valle. The Gods of Horizon exists at the center of the Valle, near where they originated during the creation. The Horizon is separated from the rest of the Valle, from the upper parts, by a bottomless chasm. If one travels into the chasm, eventually a large, multi-colored crystal appears. To reach the D’Qr homeworld, one must traverse the crystal and reach the other side. This path goes both ways. The legends speak of their Founder falling into the chasm at the time of creation and following the crystal path to the homeworld, where he found an entire race of beings adaptable to his - way of life. The Founder is the one that I changed.”

The shock Malaki had felt at this discovery has her in its grip once again. She feels Thor’s hand leave her shoulder and it seems right that he would be shocked as well. To her surprise, his arms pull her close to him, his lips kissing her hair as he holds and comforts her. Once again, she weeps, losing control and letting her pain and despair that has been locked inside her for eons out in her cries. 

Time and the storm pass them by, leaving the ground saturated and Malaki’s eyes dry and red. She looks up at Thor, amazed that he is still crouched to hold her. 

“I’m sorry, vinur. Are you stiffened into that position now?”

“Probably.” He laughs and straightens up, bringing her up with him as he groans and stretches. “You owe me no apology, vinkona. We are true friends, and if we can’t be there for each other, who will?”

Malaki shakes her head. “You always amaze me, the way you so readily adapt to any situation.”

“Truth be told, you inspire me, astvinur.” His reply is softly spoken as he lifts her chin with his fingers. Leaning down, he kisses her, lips soft and undemanding. 

Feeling her heart lurch, overwhelmed with emotions she is too tired to examine, Malaki throws her arms around his neck and returns the kiss. After a long moment of blissful enjoyment, Malaki eases back. Thor is watching her, his arms around her waist to hold her against him. Smiling at him, glad that she is being held up as she doesn’t trust her knees at the moment, she caresses his cheek.

“It gets worse, y’know.”

He laughs, head back and mouth wide, letting out a joyous noise. “Of course it does. That memory was buried too deep to be fresh.”

“Can you see them? The memories, I mean.” She worries at her bottom lip with her teeth.

“Not clearly.” He shakes his head, gazing thoughtfully at her. “Muninn only shares if I am touching him at the time. Thankfully. So, does that memory have something to do with why you’re here?”

Malaki looks away, still biting her lower lip. Her gaze travels around the surface of the silo, remembering another place, another bunker in an alternate Siberia. Letting loose of her lip and licking the drop of blood from her skin there, she nods.

“I’m sure it does, somehow.” 

“It’s Stark, isn’t it? He’s the one you’re here to help, isn’t he?” Thor nods at her sharp glance. “But how did you find this place, this dimension? It’s so far from where you normally travel.”

“That is another story, for another time, vinur. But I’ll tell you this. Doctor Strange was brought to my dimension somehow and I saved his life. I originally followed him here, only to end up meeting Stark. I’m not sure what’s going to happen, but you can bet it will involve both of them before this comes to an end.”


	27. Was Created Below

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha tries to convince Tony not to go to St Petersburg and has to settle for ‘not without her’. 
> 
> Warning: a couple of F-bombs

Previously in [Chapter 24](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10565673/chapters/34044908#workskin): _“Seoul, Korea and St. Petersburg, Russia.” Bruce mutters, reading the rest of the information as he notates the locations being pinpointed on the map._

_“What do they have in common? Why is this related to what we know from our research?” Tony’s impatience shows through now, indicating his stress level as he waits to see what this new data brings to the table._

_“Oh, this can’t be good.” Bruce’s statement is full of quiet despair. “Vampires, Tony. Vampirism is what they have in common.”_

================================

“What did you say? I’m not sure if I heard you correctly.” 

Tony shakes his head, staring at Bruce sitting there cringing in the chair in front of the displays. Alice continues to open screens showing different streams of data, but Tony can’t look at them right now. He feels like his brain has been fried by an unexpected shock and is trying to recover by rebooting his systems. The words that Bruce had said try to replay but his mind, instead of processing them, is busy chanting nonsense rhymes to shut them out. Mentally picturing himself pulling his fingers out of his ears almost works, but leaves behind a buzzing. Grabbing a can of cold-pressed coffee, he opens and drains it all in one go.

Once his throat recovers from the coldness of the drink and the caffeine hits his system, he looks around the kitchen, then steps to the door where the Mark 52 is still standing guard. Tapping on the chest plate, he activates the proximity scanner to notify him if anyone enters the building. He isn’t sure that anyone will, but he also doesn’t want anyone hearing what he and Bruce are about to discuss until they figure out what to do next. 

Returning to the kitchen table, he takes a seat facing Bruce and the kitchen, his back to the large, multi-pane windows that made up the breakfast nook. A deep sigh escapes him as he lets himself relax for a second. It doesn’t last very long. He sits up and leans forward, tapping the screen showing the data on St. Petersburg. 

“Tell me how this is related,” he taps the data for Seoul, “to this. You said ‘vampires’, but how?”

Bruce taps a couple of the other screens, bringing up reports from St Petersburg along with data streams captured from military sources that the civilian channels aren’t privy to. 

“According to the reports showing here, there’s a black ops unit heading over to Seoul from the St. Petersburg area. They were close to that area but the mission isn’t specified, nor is it declared for any active duty units.”

“Of course not. Who is the commander reporting to? Or is that classified?” Tony stands and starts pacing. He’s pretty sure who would operate something like that but verification of involvement would give him an upper hand if, no when, he has to deal with that person. 

“Yeah, it’s classified, but not deep enough. Your A.I. found the server their message program is using and backtracked to the source, both ways. It also helps that the one in charge hopped on a plane to Seoul as soon as he was notified.” Bruce is shaking his head now. “Who would be dumb enough to risk making contact with their own black ops unit?”

“Not just dumb.” Tony smirks and smooths the hairs on his chin. “Arrogant, obnoxious, self-aggrandizing, overrated, egotistical - has to be our glorious Secretary of State, Thaddeus E. Ross.”

“General Thaddeus Ross? When did he become…?” Bruce looks up at Tony, brows knitted together in confusion.

“Right after you went AWOL, my friend.” Tony pats Bruce on the shoulder, wanting him to know there is no blame in his statement. 

“But why would he want a vampire? And how did he find one? I mean, they’re only stories right?” Bruce’s hands wave around as he tries to figure out what’s going on, his perplexion showing the more he spoke.

A wry smile tugs at one corner of Tony’s mouth. “I’ve come to expect strange and unusual things to prove themselves true these days. I mean, first aliens and Norse gods, now vampires and more aliens.” He examines the fingers of his left hand, head bent as he scoffs softly. “I mean, if anything, we should be more ready now for weird shit to show up than ever before. After all, everyone knows we’re here now.”

Staring at him, Bruce almost can’t hear the last part of what Tony says, his voice fading away at the end of his sentence. The look in Tony’s eyes reminds Bruce of someone he once knew that claimed to have visions. That same haunted look on Tony’s face and in his eyes makes for a bleak picture. He clears his throat, wanting to bring Tony back to the present but not rile him up, though a little anger might help, as Bruce well knows. 

“Ah-um, ha-hem, Tony?” Bruce calls his name when Tony doesn’t look up right away. When he does, it’s almost as if he’d been a long distance from where his body is standing now. Not sure if he wants to know, Bruce figures he doesn’t really have a choice but to ask.

“You with me, buddy? Vampires and Ross, remember?” He lays a hand on Tony’s arm, ready to catch him if he falls, which for a second it looks like he might. 

Tony smiles, the bright one that makes everybody feel at ease so they’ll stop worrying about him. Shrugging off Bruce’s hand, he shoves his into his pockets and wanders around the large kitchen area, looking at the appliances and acting nonchalant. He’s still rather pale but seems to be recovering from the shock of Bruce’s words. Bruce can’t help but wonder how he never noticed this sequence of actions before. It’s obvious now, when paired with the information in front of them, that Tony has more than a passing hypothesis about the big picture that they’re working on. The trouble would seem to be whether he is willing to share.

“So, tell me something,” Bruce glances down at his own hands, trying to avoid looking like he’s waiting on Tony’s reply like it’s holy writ. “Why does vampires in St Petersburg, an overeager US Secretary of State, a Genetics lab in Korea, and a possible key to immortality all have connections leading to you?”

Tony stops wandering about and stands there in front of Bruce for a moment, then laughs and, cheeks brushed with red, pulls back the collar of his shirt to show the mark there on his collarbone. “It would seem that I have a direct link to someone that knows a lot more about vampires that I thought possible before today.”

That’s when Bruce notices a couple of things that had escaped his attention before now. First, the shirt Tony is wearing appears wrinkled, as though he’s been wearing it longer than a day and possibly even slept in it. Bruce has first-hand experience with this, as he’s done it many times in the past and is the main reason he switched from dress shirts to polos. The second thing he notices is that the shirt Tony is wearing has no buttons, but is simply being held closed by the vest from a suit, presumably one that matches his pants. Glancing sideways at his friend, Bruce rubs the stubble on his chin thoughtfully.

“This Malaki, she’s the one that bit you, right?” At Tony’s distracted nod, Bruce continues. “And where is she from, exactly?”

“That is a very good question.” Tony’s expression becomes even more thoughtful than Bruce’s. “She never did say, except to mention dimension hopping and -” 

“And? Any planet, specifically or in general?” Bruce is frowning now, his dislike and suspicion of the whole situation growing exponentially. 

“No, only that she loves Earth food more than anything else in the galaxy.” A dreamy gaze settles over Tony’s face as he rubs his finger over the mark on his collarbone.

“Tony? Tony? Hello, Earth to Tony Stark.” Bruce snaps his fingers in front of Tony’s face a couple of times as he calls his friend’s name. This tendency to drift isn’t like Tony and has him worried about what might be happening to the man after what he’s been through lately. 

When Tony looks up and gives him a slight smile, still acting slightly out of it, Bruce takes hold of his arm and pulls him toward the table and chairs. “Okay, I think you need to sit down. You don’t look like you’re completely here at the moment. When was the last time you slept?”

Rubbing his face with his free hand, Tony takes the seat that Bruce pushes him into, fighting a yawn as he sits down. “No, I feel, um , ah YahhHH, no I slept at least six hours late last night. Ask, um oh ahYaahhHha, Clint.”

Seeing the rapid blinks and shaking that Tony’s doing, along with the swaying of his body, Bruce grabs his shoulders just as Tony yawns one more time, stretches and passes out. Shifting him around until he has a grip under both arms, Bruce shakes his head and grins wryly. 

“Sure, okay buddy. Don’t know why you’ve just passed out then. Unless…”

He thinks about it for the length of time it takes to get Tony into the living area and onto the couch. Looking at his friend sleeping peacefully there, Bruce tilts his head towards the suit, still standing halfway between the main door and the kitchen, an almost-human tilt to the helmet. 

“FRIDAY?”

“Actually, Dr Banner, I’m Alice.” 

The sassy tone is unexpected, as is the different name. The question of when Tony had changed it pops up but Bruce pushes it aside for now. He simply nods in acknowledgement before making his request.

“Okay, well, um Alice, can you draw a couple of vials of Tony’s blood, please. I need to run more tests on it.”

“Will this help you figure out why he’s asleep again so soon after the last time he slept?” 

Bruce is taken aback at the question, but nods his head. “Yes, hopefully.”

“Good. He hasn’t been himself lately.”

The suit moves over to stand next to the couch, leaning down until the arm is even with Tony’s. The bracer slides back, revealing an interesting mechanism tipped with a small needle. More movement inside the arm entices Bruce to lean closer. He sees a couple of small vials get filled with Tony’s blood, then pop loose. The mechanical armature lifts them out and over to him. Opening his palm to accept them as they drop, he almost misses the needle being inserted into Tony’s arm again. 

“What are you doing to him?” Suspicion tinges Bruce’s voice as his hand hovers closer to Tony’s arm.

“Don’t worry, Doctor, I’m merely testing him to see how his anxiety levels are. He’s had several episodes recently that have required medication.”

“Is he seeing a doctor for them or just self-medicating? That might be why he’s tired. The dose could be off.” Bruce shakes his head. He knows how much Tony dislikes medical doctors, but makes a mental note to talk to him about this first chance he gets.

“I have been monitoring his vitals for the prescribed intervals as well as appropriate dosages for his height and weight, Dr Banner. Mr Stark did give me instructions in case he becomes non-responsive or suffers an adverse reaction.”

If Bruce didn’t know any better, and he admits he might not with one of Tony’s A.I.s, he could swear Alice sounded put out about his doubts in her abilities. He makes a calming motion with the hand not holding the vials of blood. 

“Okay, no worries. I’m sure Tony’s given you all the necessary information. I haven't been here lately, so I am behind on the latest news.”

When the suit returns to its position nearer the door, Bruce heads back into the kitchen to run the tests on the fresh batch of Tony’s blood. He’d been thinking that Tony’s behavior might have been influenced by the exchange that had happened between him and this Malaki women. Now it seems there might be a medical cause for it instead, though he isn’t sure, which is why he’s still running the tests. 

Back in the kitchen, he sets the vials on the table next to the monitors showing the data flowing from the searches and investigations they’d been doing before Tony had collapsed. Bringing the testing equipment from the counter to the table, he reaches for the vials only to have his hand grabbed and held by the wrist. He jumps and jerks back, pulling free from what had been holding him, yelling as he did. The couple of seconds it takes for him to realize it was Natasha holding onto him is enough for him to become embarrassed for getting startled. 

“Oh, hey. Sorry, Nat, I didn’t see you there.”

“That’s okay Bruce. You weren’t supposed to.” She grins at him, though there’s very little mirth in her smile. “What’cha got there? Tony’s blood?”

“Yeah, it’s for ah, for his levels of anxiety medication.” Bruce fell back on the explanation Alice had given him, though he wonders if Nat had heard their conversation and knows he’s lying. “I’m testing to see if his medication dosage is too high.”

Natasha nods. “Um-hm. While you’re at it, how about you tell me what the fuck Tony is doing planning a trip to St Petersburg to hunt for vampires?”

Bruce meets her hard expression and angry glare with a stare of his own, feeling his own level of anger rise at her implied threat. 

“Sure, I’ll do that. And you can fill me in on what the fuck has been going on with Tony and this mystery woman, Malaki.”

He has his suspicions confirmed when Natasha sneers back at him. “Agreed.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Four hours pass before Tony is able to wake himself up from the enforced nap he’d taken. He finds himself on the couch in the living room of the guesthouse, staring at the ceiling while he gathers his wits around himself. When he is fairly certain he won’t embarrass himself by attempting to get up, he sits and rubs his eyes with both hands. The sleep now cleared out of his sight, he focuses on Nat, who’s been sitting there watching him wake up with quite possibly the angriest look on her face he’s ever seen.

“Can I help you?” he asks, trying to be polite in the face of her anger.

“Yes.” Her tone is short and harsh. “There is no way I am letting you go to St Petersburg to hunt vampires.”

“Not without you, of course.” Tony gives her his most charming smile and straightens his shirt, only to have it shift open, the vest doing very little to keep it closed now. “And a new wardrobe, definitely.”

Natasha’s return scowl does a poor job of hiding her admiration, or her fear, before her face smooths out into her normal, emotionless mask. “Of course.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wanda insists on accompanying them, or at least she tries to. Her argument that her abilities would keep them safe and help them fight anything that might show up besides the vampires has Tony listening as he tucks his t-shirt into the jeans he’s changed into. In the end, he takes her aside to talk her into going with the other team to Korea.

“Look at me, Wanda. Do I look like I want to go there with just Natasha?”

She refuses to look at him. Standing across from him in the bathroom, the only room they could find that had a locking door, she is staring out the window, arms crossed in defiance of his request. 

“You look scared and excited and eager, which I don’t understand. How can you be eager to face these monsters?” 

Her own fear shows in her voice, in the way it trembles and cracks to make her sound harsher than she would normally. Tony reaches out and lays his hand on her arm, unexpected waves of sympathy projecting from him. She looks at him, surprised that he would willingly touch her after all this time of going out of his way to avoid that very thing. Not that she blamed him. It was her touch after all that caused the Avengers to lose against Ultron the first time they faced him. Holding herself back, resisting the urge to open her mind to his thoughts, she waits for him to say what’s on his mind. 

“It’s not the vampires that I’m eager to face.” 

The image she catches is of the woman, Malaki, and she realizes that he’s hoping to find her there, in St Petersburg. After what the team went through in Richmond, as well as what little she’d been able to detect when arriving at the restaurant the other night to pick up Natasha and the guys, Wanda isn’t sure if that’s any better. 

“You’re hoping to find that woman, aren’t you? Do you think that’s wise? Especially if she’s working with those...things.” 

Tony lifts his hand from her arm to scratch his chin. “I ah, I don’t think she’s working with them. I think she’s hunting them.”

Wanda’s eyes go wide. “That’s not any better, Tony!”

“Yeah,” he shrugs and rolls his eyes upward as if to ask what else can be expected, “it is, actually. If she’s hunting them, we can help her.”

“Or get caught in the middle.”

Again Tony shrugs. “Either way, what I need for you to do, is tell me…”

He pauses and looks down, then out the window, then back at her, his face showing an unusual amount of determination. She asks the question he’s waiting for.

“Tell you what?”

“Am I under her control? Is she manipulating my mind? I need to know if I’ve been compromised or can I trust myself.”

Wanda is shocked for the first time in a very long time. At least since the time she’d read Ultron’s mind and saw what he had planned for humanity. Tony trusting her enough to ask this of her was unmistakably the biggest step he’s ever taken in their relationship. It tells her how he really feels about Malaki and how far he’s willing to go to find her again. With that in mind, she nods and holds out her hand. 

“I promise, no more looking than I need to in order to answer your question.”

The grin he gives her, after raising an eyebrow at her outstretched hand, is worth every bit of her restraint and her promise. She is sure she’s never seen him so happy before. At his nod, she steps forward and places her hands on either side of his head, right at the temples. Activating her ability, she feels his mind and isn’t surprised at the defenses he’s built against anyone intruding into it. Then it opens and it’s like viewing a flower blossoming in a time compressed video. 

Once she is able to view his mind, she looks for outside influences. Ignoring the tempting flashes of activity that would take her into places she’d promised not to go, she finds herself drawn to a part of his mind that is showing unusual amounts of energy. To her it’s like following a stream and finding a point where she can step into the water to taste it. When it hits her mind’s tongue, for lack of a better term, the pictures become visible to her inner eye. 

Without warning, she’s in the room with Tony and Malaki, seeing them come into intimate contact from behind Tony’s eyes. She sees beauty and danger wrapped in a generous package and being offered to Tony, even while beneath it lies something he fears. In her head she can feel Tony reliving this memory even as she is viewing it for the first time. The intensity of emotions nearly overwhelms her senses and she finds herself pulling back. 

As she is withdrawing, she sees the moment that Tony is most worried about, where Malaki places her mouth on his neck. The flinch she feels comes from Tony reviewing the moment rather than from when he experienced it. There isn’t any evidence of a connection, psychic or otherwise, between them after that, except for the emotional ties created by their intimacy. She wonders if this is why he is worried about being controlled. It would make sense, but she feels confident in telling him there isn’t anything more than his desires exerting influence on his actions.

That is until she is withdrawing to do so. She isn’t sure what it is she is seeing, but her gut tells her it comes from Tony’s future. Lines coming in and winding about his indicate that whatever is coming will affect everyone around him, including herself. Her own timeline is easily traced, as is Malaki’s. There’s a third one that gets entangled with the main two and she glances back to see that it has touched Malaki’s before this. There’s more but suddenly she finds herself being pushed out, almost as if someone had shoved her back from a precipice to keep her from going over. 

Wanda opens her eyes to see Tony staring back at her in the bathroom of the guest house on his new property, right where they’d started. He blinks a couple of times and she wonders how much of that he saw and felt. His questions don’t give much away.

“Are you alright? Was that too much? Did you find anything?”

Taking a deep breath, she nods. “Yes, but you’re not being controlled by anything you don’t want to be.” 

His relief is palpable. “Thank you. I appreciate your discretion with this knowledge, as well as anything else you saw while mucking around in there.”

She can’t help but grin back at him. It’s easy to see why he isn’t worried about facing mythical creatures, after viewing just that small portion of what’s in his mind all the time. 

“I think I’ll go make sure everyone is ready to head to Korea.” She smiles and takes a couple of steps towards the door, then turns back to catch Tony’s gaze. “Don’t be afraid, Tony. Malaki isn’t an enemy. And,” she pauses, not quite sure how to phrase this part without being too cryptic. She shakes her head a little bit, then opens her mouth to see what comes out. “Don’t be afraid to take chances on other people. It’s one of your best features.”

The wry smile he gives her shows how attractive he can be when he tries. “I know. But I’ll keep it in mind, just in case I meet someone I might not be able to charm.”

Smiling, Wanda turns and heads out to the Quinjet, trying to quell the churning of her stomach and the dread that weighs on her now. She hadn’t known she could see the future, but now that it has been shown to her, she wishes it never had been. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Onboard the Quinjet, Natasha joins Tony in the cockpit as he is going over the systems checklist while they wait for the other Quinjet to depart. She is leaning forward, still standing, to peer out the window as it lifts up into the sky when Tony mutters something that suspiciously sounds like French. She glances back at him with a smirk.

“Care to repeat that out loud?”

“I said your parents weren’t glass makers, were they?” 

He grins at her and chuckles. She smiles back and takes one more look at the sky, empty now that the Quinjet has headed west towards the setting sun. 

“Second thoughts? You can still change your mind and go with them, y’know.” Tony’s voice from behind her is soft and touched with sympathy. “I mean, before you decided to join me, I was just going to fly my suit there. Still can.”

Nat shakes her head and takes a seat in the navigator’s chair back behind Tony’s right elbow. 

“It’s not that. It’s, I don’t know what it is, I’m not very eloquent when it comes to expressing my own feelings. I wish -” she shrugs and leans back in the chair.

“Well, I for one, am glad you decided to take the Quinjet. I’d hate to have to book a flight to Russia without any ID.” Bruce chuckles as he comes forward and takes the other seat to the back of Tony’s left, grinning sheepishly. 

Turning his head in an abrupt gesture, Tony looks over his shoulder at the scientist. “I thought you went with the other team. They’re going to Helen’s, in Seoul.” 

“I know. But I’d rather see what you find in St Petersburg.” His grin is almost convincing enough to hide the worry that knits his brows into a slight frown. 

Tony scoffs and turns back to face the cockpit window, nudging the controls to start the liftoff. Natasha can see the pleased look he is hiding as he fiddles with things on the dash that don’t need anything done to them. It’s funny to catch Tony being happy that someone is worried about him, and also reassuring that he is aware of others taking him into their consideration. This reminds her of what she’d asked Wanda to do.

“So, I take it your talk with Wanda went well?”

“Yep. I explained how she was needed to keep an eye on the guys while Vision talks to Helen as well as needing her to scan Helen’s team. See if they’re hiding any secrets or vampires after Ross’s visit.” He taps a couple of buttons, then glances from the corner of his eyes over at her. “I also let her check me out for any outside influences. Mind scan and all that.”

Natasha smirks as Bruce sits up and leans forward.

“You did what? Is that safe?”

Tony cocks his head back to look at Bruce the same as he’d just looked at Nat. “If I can’t trust her, I won’t keep her on the team. She looked, I watched her, it’s all good.”

“You watched her?” Bruce doesn’t sound convinced.

“Yeah, it’s like dealing with a hypnotist. They can’t do anything you don’t let them do. Same with her. And trust is important.”

“Yeah, trust she doesn’t poke anywhere you don’t want her to.” Leaning back in his chair, his face scrunching into a frown, Bruce looks unimpressed and not willing to allow for any leeway. 

“Exactly. Right, Nat?” Looking over at her, Tony catches an odd expression on her face and raises his eyebrow.

“Right. Did she find anything?” Her face expressionless, emotions tucked tightly into herself, she shakes out her hair and eases back in her seat. 

“Nope. Told me I’m not being controlled by anything I don’t want to be. And to not be afraid of myself.” He grins and turns back to the window. 

“That’s an odd thing to say, isn’t it?” Nat lets the words out slowly, wondering what Tony, or Wanda, had meant by that.

“Yes, well, we are the odd ones, are we not?” Flipping on music and cranking it up, Tony settles back in his seat, done talking and eager for what is ahead.


End file.
